Scared Percy Gaurdian Of The Hunt
by GrayNeko
Summary: Adopted by Hera and Son/Champion of Hestia another Guardian of the hunt story Percy been missing for 6 months and now he has return how will the Olympians react to this read to find outs By GrayNeko
1. Chapter 1

Lord Zeus." I begin as I kneel before the king of the gods.  
"Rise, Perseus Jackson." Zeus calls down to me.  
"Lord Zeus and council of the gods. I have one single request. Will you honor me and fulfill it?" I ask them, looking mainly at Zeus.  
"What is your request?" Zeus asks me warily.  
I take a deep breath and speak my request, "I wish for death."  
Everyone gasps and I'm just tired. I let it show on my face. My sadness, my shattered self. Poseidon starts weeping and Hestia comes to stand before me, with Artemis and Hera at her side.  
"Lady Hestia, Lady Artemis, Lady Hera." I bow to each one.  
Hestia puts her hands on my shoulders, grips them hard, and shakes me. I'm pretty sure my head is rattling. I couldn't care less.  
"Why?! Why do you want your life ended?!" Hestia shrieks in my face.  
Hera pries her off and Artemis slaps me. The slap turns my head to the side. I just keep it there, not meeting anyone's eyes.  
"Perseus Jackson!" Artemis yells at me. "You will tell me this instant, what in the Hades is wrong with you! Look at me!" She screams.  
I slowly turn my head and look at Artemis. "You want to know what's wrong with me? Ask the wisdom goddess, Lady Athena." I bow to said goddess.  
"Perseus, I am so sorry." Athena's eyes start tearing up.  
"What are you talking about Percy?" Hestia asks.  
"Oh, so you haven't noticed that I've been missing for the past seven months? The Athena spawn that I used to love was doing things to me in Tartarus. Nice to know I was missed." I say and take my shirt off as evidence.  
Everyone gasps again. The horrible scars mark and take up the majority of my skin. Everywhere. I just didn't want to take my pants off. The shirt was enough because I didn't want to offend anybody. The deep scars are still red and a couple were bleeding.  
"How did you escape?" Zeus asks in a small voice.  
"Athena. She saved me from her horrid daughter. And Hera found out a little over a few hours ago. She didn't wish to bring this news to you alone. So I did it for her. Nice to see you again, Lady Hera. But so unfortunate a time as I ask for my demise." I say and bow to Hera again. To my surprise, she hugs me. I only hug her back in respect and gratitude.  
"Seven months?! We thought you were on a quest for Athena!" Hestia seethes.  
"That what she told you? Obliviousness is bliss, dear lady. Enjoy it while it lasts." I nod to her. She sobs into my shoulder. "CanI die now? I think I've lived long enough." I look at Zeus and Hestia jst sobs harder into my sore shoulder, but I let her.  
Poseidon, my father,-sorry, used to be father- comes down from his throne and tackles me with a hug. I flinch involuntarily. I don't hug back because I'm tired, I have no more emotions left, and I hate the god of the seas with all my heart.  
"What did she do to you?" Artemis asks me.  
I laugh without humor and a wicked grin comes to my face. Everyone backs away or cringes into their thrones. "Search my memories if you want to know." I shrug. "I'll willingly let you look through them."  
Dionysus comes up to me, puts his hand on my forehead, and something like an IM appears in front of the gods.  
Point of view: Artemis He seemed so sad and depressed when he asked for us to kill him. Now he just looks insane. Apollo looks at me and shakes his head, reading my thoughts. If Percy isn't insane...  
I look at the image of Percy's memories. Percy is practically bouncing off walls he is so excited. Athena gave him permisson to marry Annabeth and she even helped him make the ring. An Imperial Gold band, gray pearls, emeralds, and sapphires embedded in the gold. He is going on a date with Annabeth that day and as they were on their way to the restaurant,Annabeth wanted to go to the park first. Percy obliged and when they got there, she opened a crack in the ground. She threw Percy in and jumped in after him.  
Next, we see him crash into the Phlegethon, while Annabeth is simply caught by Kronos. Oceanus walks over to the now splutering Percy, who is dragging himself out of the River of Fire. Ocanus grabs Percy by the neck and Percy starts to cough up blood, while the Titans and Annabeth laugh at his powerlessness against Oceanus's power.  
"Do you like drowning boy? Down here, I am more powerful than you. You are hopeless against me in your own field. You can't fight off my power over water. This will be the most fun I've had in many, many years." Oceanus cackles.  
They bring him to a large cave. Oceanus holds one arm, while Kronos hold the other. Annabeth leads them. Percy's head is hung and he is trying not to look around them.  
I gasp, can Percy see what Tartarus relaly looks like?  
Percy's eyes are trying not to look at Annabeth as well. That stops when she lifts his chin upto make him face her. He just looks at her like a broken chewtoy.  
"Welcome to your new home!" Annabeth exclaims cheerily and lets Percy's head drop back down. Oceanus and Kronos draghim inside.  
Once inside, they throw him in a cell and he just stays in the position he lands in, slammed and slumped against the wall, eyes downcast. He's trying to process what is happening and why.  
Oceanus comes in and uses Celestial Bronze chains to shackle Percy to the wall. Percy lets him too.  
~A few Earth months later(A lot of Tartarus years later).  
The cuts on his naked and bare body are so deep, I wonder at how he is even alive. You can see the right down to the bone on a few. Until Oceanus throws ocean and Styx water on Percy and make him heal painfully. You can hear his agonized screams as the wounds sear closed.  
Then Annabeth comes in and Percy just looks even more broken than he did the first day.  
How can this be? Men can't feel this way, but Percy is the exception.  
Annabeth starts torturing him all over again. Healing, torture, healing, torture. Percy's body starts shaking and he asks one, simple question. "Why?"  
"Why what, silly?" Annabeth beams at him and it makes me sick.  
"Why me? Why betray me? Why not kill me already? I want to die." He says. He sounds like he's begging.  
"Because you are always a part of every prophecy. You're a great hero and will save the gods no matter what it takes. I betray you so I can rule the world, sweetie. As for why you aren't dead..." She trails off, lost in thought.  
"We enjoy our entertainment and wish to use you as a lethal weapon against the forces of Olympus. I make you the same offer after all these long, loving years together. Will you join our cause, Perseus Jackson? Will you fight for us and be our champion?" Kronos asks Percy.  
"I will never betray the gods. Do what you will. I won't side with you, no matter how long I am down here." Percy spits at Kronos, but he is struggling to even breathe, let alone speak. It's an effort for him and the cost, coughing up tons of blood. Oceanus smiles at him and raises his hand.  
"Remember the muskeg? Aren't you afraid of drowning and suffocating after that little incident with our mother? I'll drown youagain and again until you become my champion in battle." Oceanus closes his hand into a fist and Percy's lips turn blue after a few minutes. Oceanus lets go of his control and it takes ten minutes for Percy to even get back to the state of breathing he was in before.  
~Even later~ Percy looks so much worse. His tormentors are nowhere to be found and Percy hangs there, limp.  
Then Athena flashes in and gasps at the sight of him. "Come for more of your precious entertainment?" Percy coughs out.  
"No Perseus, I came to rescue you." Athena comes up to him.  
"That's a lie. Just kill me when you have your 'fun', as your your daughter loves to call it." He spits at her.  
Athena breaks his bonds and catches his naked body. He tries to get away, but he is too weak.  
"Get away from me. Leave me. Leave me to rot. I won't fall for these rescue attempts any longer. Leave me be. I deserve it anyway." Percy mutters the last part.  
Athena hefts him up. "No. I am saving you. Please forgive me, for my daughter's actions and my neglect and failure to notice what she truly is."  
He coughs, but means it as a bitter laugh. "You want my forgiveness? Fine. I'm still overly loyal. You were right. It did come back to haunt me and by your own offspring too. You must be proud, just like she is." Percy says weakly.  
Athena starts crying and flashes to her palace with a still naked Percy Jackson. She lays him on a couch and tries to heal him, but he grabs her wrist, Strong, for someone so weak. Fire burns in his eyes. "Let Thanatos claim my soul. End my misery. Don't make me suffer anymore. Please." He rasps out.  
Athena's crying turns into sobing. "I'm healing you, Perseus. No arguements!" She says sternly.  
"Damnit! Let me die, woman. No one misses me anyway!" He winces at his hoarse and throbbing throat.  
Athena doesn't even scold him for swearing and heals him. She snaps her fingers and clothes appear on his body.  
"Why save my miserable life? You hate me. You were always spiteful, even when I was nice to you. Why change now?" Percy asks, eyeing Athena warily.  
"Because I've failed in being a mother. I failed my child. I failed at realizing how pure you are. I'm trying to make amends. I'm so sorry Perseus." Athena keeps sobbing.  
"Then you should have let me die. That was my final request and you denied me my relief from this stupid, used up life. No one cares about me!" He shouts.  
"Why do you say that?" Athena asks.  
He scoffs. "Everyone hates me at camp. They smile at me, then they sneer at my back. Because my little half-brother told them lies. I am no fool, Athena. I just act like one to relieve pressure. Even after I had won two wars, I remained loyal to everyone who betrayed me. To my friends, to my family, and even to you cursed immortal gods and your selfishness. I'm used up, Athena. I have no purpose in life. The ring is in the park, where I dropped it on the ground. You can have it back. Just don't expect me to get it." Percy says, hoarsely.  
"Percy, what about your mother? Your step-dad? Your father?" Athena asks.  
"Annabeth murdered Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis the second Earth day I was in Tartarus. They are gone. Whether it's Elysium or Asphodel...I haven't the slightest clue. Poseidon? Does he really care? Disowns me because I supposedly didn't save my little half-brother from a hellhound. On the contrary, I did. I killed it. He took credit. Friends and family drifted over to his side. Thalia hates me for reasons I am unsure of and unaware of why. I've been gone too long. No one cared enough to look. Why should I have the will to live, when there is nothing to live for Athena? My fatal flaw is personal loyalty. And it's shattered. I will never trust or love again if I am to live. It broke me Athena. I will never be whole. No matter what. Nothing cansave me from this looming darkness that consumes me. If it means anything to you, thank you for saving me, Lady Athena, goddess of wisdom." Percy says in a low, harsh, cold monotone.  
"You're...welcome. You will stay here for the time being." Athena orders.  
"No need. I will be fine on my own strength. It will suffice." Percy tries to get up, but Athena glares at him and pushes him back down.  
"You. Are. Staying. Here. Young. Man." Athena starts glowing.  
"Go ahead. Explode in light and kill me! I am not afraid of you." Percy looks at her straight on, daring her to burn him to ashes. He looks right at her face.  
Athena's face softens. "Percy, I want you to tell me about all the betrayals and lies, so that I amy clear your name." She states gently.  
Percy lets out an exasperated sigh and looks at the ceiling. "Very well." he consents and unleashes the onslaught of a volley of information at Athena, who listens intently. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: On Olympus, In the throne room of the gods.  
Point of view: Artemis The memory cuts out and Dionysus shows us each betrayal, from Percy's eyes. Chiron, Annabeth, heck, even the whole of Camp-Halfblood hates Percy because of his little half-brother, Derek. Lies and rumors spread aroung like wildfire. Percy was disowned by his father and kicked out of camp for being a horrible student. After eachbetrayal, we all turn to Percy and he wears an expressionless mask, but his hands are clenched into fists and they are shakng. I even sense the emotions radiating off of him. Anger, grief, hate, pain...but he was right. He is broken.  
Hera turns to Perseus and smiles warmly at him warmly. He backs away and Hera has to put her hands on his shoulders to keep him from trying to get away from her. He flinches at the contact, but Hera still smiles. "Perseus Jackson, I could never fill the great void in your heart left by your mother. But if you would accept it, I would love to be your patron and mother. Do you accept?" Hera looks at him.  
"I already told you my one wish, but if it makes you happy, I would be honored to call you mother, Lady Hera." Percy bows.  
Hera holds out her hand and she nods reassuringly to Perseus. Percy clasps his scarred hand onto Hera's arm and she gripshis in return. A golden-white light extends from their hands and surrounds Percy. The blessing of Hera, few ever get it.  
Hestia walks up to Percy. "Will you be my champion, Percy?" She asks, unsure.  
"Yes, Lady Hestia. I will be your champion, if that is what you wish." Percy bows to her.  
"Do not bow to me. You bow to no one." Hestia declares and blasts him with flames. "You can heal, harm, and travel by fire. You can summon home cooked meals. You are Perseus Jackson, Son of Hera, Champion of Hera, Champion of Hestia, and Hero of Olympus." She decrees.  
"One question." Percy inhales. "Did you both make me taller?" He looks at them.  
"I don't know..." Hestia studies him.  
"You sort of look taller..." Hera nods. "Probably. Without realizing it. It really bothers you, doesn't it?" Hera giggles.  
"Did she just?" Hermes looks at Hera, stunned.  
"She can be happy you know. It's Zeus's fault for being unfaithful and breaking his oath of loyalty. Gods know I have experience with the loyalty part." Percy says.  
We stare at him and Hera beams at her new son. She hugs him and Hestia does as well. "Mother...I'm truly sorry for all those horrible things I said to you on the hill many years ago and everything bad about you after that. I realize what a fool I was." Percy hangs his head.  
"I forgive you, son. You can make it up to me by spending time with me." Hera jumps upand down happily.  
"Me too! Visit me at the hearth as often as possible." Hestia tells Percy.  
"I will." Percy smiles at his two patrons, then I get an idea.  
"Will you stop wanting to perish now?" Hera asks, pleading.  
"Yes, mother. I promise to try my best to live life to its fullest as well as I am able." Percy promises.  
"Percy?" I finally speak.  
"Yes, Lady Artemis?" Percy bows.  
"Will you accept my blessing? And become my Guardian of the Hunt?" I ask and everyone gasps.  
"Only if you wish it. Not because you feel pity for me. I only accepted my patrons's offers because I still liked them. I nowfeel...more connected with them. Love them lie real family. Two people I will never willingly betray. So, I ask you, Lady Artemis, do you offer me this in pity?" Percy looks into my eyes.  
I cannot look away while I answer him, "At first, yes, but you are the only man I would ever let into my camp, even before this...incident." I tell him, waving my hand out in front of me.  
"You can say tragedy or horrific event. It doesn't bother me. A demigod's life is always tragic, but we die with a cause at least." Percy says, then shrugs. "Very well, milady. I accept your offer and I will swear off women forever, if you so wish it. Like you heard me tell Lady Athena, I will never love again." He says.  
"You don't have to swear off women." I say.  
Percy kneels before me and I place my hand on his shoulder. He starts to glow silver.  
"I give you the same blessing I give my hunters. Partial immortality, but you can still die in battle." I tell him.  
"I, Perseus Jackson, swear on the River Styx to forever protect Lady Artemis, Godess of the Moon and Hunt, as well as the Hunt itself, at the extent of my own life as long as I shall live. I also swear off the company of women on the River Styx to which I shall only befriend them and care for them as a brother and never to love them in a more intimate way." Percy promises and thunder booms in the distance. 


	3. Chapter 3

Point of view: Artemis "Percy! I told you you didn't have to swear off women." I tell him.  
"I wouldn't have loved another anyway. I never will. It makes no difference to me." He answers.  
"Percy, my boy, you will eventually love again." Poseidon says gently.  
Percy whirls on his father and speaks in a bitter and cold tone, "Why do you care?"  
Poseidon stutters and Hades speaks up, "Perseus?" Hades asks to get his nephew's attention.  
"Yes, uncle? What do you wish of me?" Percy says and bows before the god of the dead.  
"Why do you never wish to love in that way again?" Hades asks, and comes down to stand in front of Percy.  
"Because of her." He states. Hades reaches out a hand and Percy snarls at it. "Don't touch me, please." Percy's voice cracks on his last word.  
"Percy..." Poseidon lays a hand on Percy's back and he flinches.  
"Get away from me. Not only do I hate you, I don't want to be near the sea." Percy says and gets out from his father's touch.  
"Please, you must forgive me. Why do you fear the sea?" Poseidon asks gently, worried.  
"My own domain." Percy's voice breaks. "He tortured me with my own domain. He made me even more scared of it than Gaea did. I will never forgive myself for that shame. I can't look at water the same way. Not after everything that transpired. I won't go near it. Not for anything." Percy says, now backed up against the throne room doors. "I don't want to forgive you, I don't want a father. Not after losing them both. Both times unwillingly, both times betrayed by one person or another. Both my fault. MY FAULT!" He slides down the door and sits on the floor.  
Hera comes over to him and sits next to him. He just shakes his head at her whispered words, no one but them can hear.  
"What happened to my son?" Poseidon looks at Hera.  
"Disowned. Gone. Dead. Tortured. Murdered. Lost along with his soul The naive fool isn't here anymore. The cold-hearted shell you see is the reborn 'kid' you have gained from that foolish boy." Percy tells him.  
"I don't believe that." Hestia comes over to him and sits next to him on his other side.  
"Lady Artemis...does being Hera's son make me your brother of sorts?" Percy looks at me horrified by the prospect. It wasn't mock horror either.  
"Wipe that look off your face. Yes, it does mean that." I hiss at him.  
He has the gall to snicker. "I'm not horrified of being your brother. It's Apollo I'm worried about. I honestly don't know how you stand his constant pranking, but I know you love him. I can...feel it for some reason." Percy muses, Hera just chuckles at his wondering face, but that look is still in his eyes.  
"Hmm...it is because of my blessing, combined with your new position. It is only natural, but it disturbs me to feel your emotions. Roiling around inside you, all bottled up." I say.  
"Oh my gods...Zeus is my father now. Someone kill me, no offense mom." Percy looks at Hera, who just chuckles at her new son.  
Zeus doesn't look offended, he knows he is just trying to be funny and lighten the mood.  
"Do I call you dad or Lord Zeus?" Percy turns his head to Zeus.  
"Call me either, boy. At least Hera is happy with you." Zeus smiles at Percy.  
Percy nods, tries to stand, but just slumps back on the floor. "What is wrong, my champion?" Hestia cocks her head at Percy.  
"My left leg. Hyperion damaged it the other day. Still hasn't healed. I don't think I can get up again." Percy sighs. "So inconvenient really. It doesn't hurt unless I put some weight on it." He attempts to stand again and manages to lean against the door. "That hurts like Hades."  
"But you do not show pain?" Ares looks at Percy confused.  
"Yes, well, it happens to be a lesser injury compared to the other things I've been through. Nice to see you show concern though." Percy closes his eyes and inhales deeply.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I inhale deeply as I close my eyes. Then, I open them and make my way toward Lady Artemis, but I stop dead in my tracks asApollo comes beside me and lays a hand on my shoulder. I flip him over immediately and I kneel next to him after I realize he was just trying to help. "Oh, sorry! I don't like to be touched. I will react without hesitation. Are you okay?" I ask Apollo.  
"Yeah, I only wanted to heal you further." Apollo sits up and places a hand on my forehead. I fight the urge to swat it away as a golden light pulsates over my body. My injuries feel slightly better, my leg feels comepletely healed, but tired of using its muscle.  
I help him up and hear a squeal. Oh gods, it was Aphrodite. "Percy! I am going to give you my blessing!" She squeals more.  
"Absolutely not! That won't help me with my oath!" I am surrounded by a pink glow and grow taller, everything becomes more defined, including my scars. "Aphrodite. This isn't going to help me." I growl.  
"It's really just so I can look at you." Aphrodite shrugs.  
"Aphrodite!" Artemis yells.  
"Percy?" Zeus asks and I turn to him.  
"Yes, Lord Zeus?" I ask politely.  
"If you could turn into an animal, what would it be?" Zeus asks.  
Lets see...Bear, raven, eagle, dragon, deer, horse, wolf. Lupa would love to see me as a wolf and it is part of Artemis's domain.  
"Lupa." I whisper. "I'm going to follow one of the teachings and ways I learned from Lupa and one of my patrons's domains. A wolf, Lord Zeus." I answer louder.  
Zeus nods his approval. He shoots his beam of light at me. I shift into a wolf. The pain doesn't bother me. I've felt worse and turned back into a human.  
Hades blesses me and gives me the same power of his children. "Thank you, Lord Hades." I bow to him. "Now, will all of you stop giving me more power?" I ask.  
The gods look taken aback. "I'm starting to like you, punk. So I will be the last to bless you, little brother." Oh gods! It's Ares. Crap. He shoots me with a red light.  
"Thank you, Lord Ares." I bow without worrying and he grins at me.  
"Definitely rubbing off on me." He smiles genuinely now.  
"I would bless you, but with Hestia's and Artemis's blessings you won't need it." Apollo tells me.  
"What about music?" Hermes asks.  
Oh Hades. "He's naturally talened in music. A prodigy. If Poseidon wasn't his father, he might've been mine." Apollo shrugs.  
Blushing, I take my place by Artemis, who had returned to her throne. As well as Hera and Hestia.  
Hestia and Hades were made part of the council and Olympians once again at my request at the end of the second Giant war.  
The something dawns on me. Nico. "Lord Hades." I address him.  
"What is it, nephew?" He asks softly. Weird. But it's pity I hear.  
"Your son. How is he?" I ask.  
"I think that, now that you are here, he was the only one searching for you. He said he would feel your soul near death, but then you would be alive again. I didn't know what he was talking about, until now. The camp didn't even throw a fit at your absence." Hades looks thoughtful.  
I nod. "He was right. I nearly died many times over the few centuries- oh, no." I look down.  
"Few centuries?!" Dionysus looks at me.  
I sigh. "Yes, you are aware that time passes differently down there, correct?"  
"How could I be so stupid?" Dionysus scowls at himself.  
"Centuries?" Artemis looks down at me.  
"Indeed, my lady. I lst count after 203. They only reminded me of the 'long time' I;d been down there and the 'very long time' I had left before you even got worried and started looking for me. I believed in you, your search. Turns out, there was only one who even knew or for that matter care to realize I'd gone." I say and shrug.  
"How are you so calm about it?" Hephaestus asks.  
"Athena helped me. I suppose you should tell them now, my lady." I turned to face Athena's gaze.  
"I'm one of his patron's. He is my champion as well." Athena declares and thunder sounds.  
"Really? A son of Poseidon?" Demeter asks Athena, for once too shocked to think about cereal and its many qualities.  
"According to Lord Poseidon, I am no longer his son. Therefore, I am son of Hera and Zeus as far as I am concerned." I state, seething with rage. Poseidon fliched when I called him 'Lord.'  
"My boy." Poseidon whimpers.  
"Don't boy me. You left me to my sorrow in that wretched camp. Camp Jupiter would've been my only safe haven. I stayed. Forher. Look what that got me." I say.  
Hestia comes to me off her throne and places her hand on my shoulder. I relax immediately. She whispers into my ear so only her ad I could hear, "Will you be my son as well? I already love you like one, it would be fun to have one." Hestia whispers happy.  
I nod. "I will." I smile hugely at her.  
She touches her hand to my forehead and an even warmer sensation than before rushes through my veins. "Thanks!" She hugs me and canters over to her throne.  
"Lady Artemis, I still don't understand Thalia's anger at me. Even after Dionysus showed everyone. I didn't catch it. She didn't like me before Tartarus, so I assume its not over my disappearance." I look at Artemis.  
She sighs. "Derek has tod her that you betrayed camp. She punched Derek, but she wondered after you disappeared and where you were. So now she wonders about his words and is starting to believe them as the truth.  
"Quest for Athena. Permission to marry Annabeth. Something I now regret." I state. "I won't be revealing my identity for awhile." I tell her.  
"Alright. What shall we name you in wolf form?" Artemis muses.  
"You pick. Your Hunt, your home. I don't care what you call me, just that you don't pity me." I tell her.  
She thinks for a minute. "Moonlace." She says.  
I feel sorrow for one that I failed and she senses it immediately, but I smile, "Sounds nice. Thank you." I bow to her.  
"You trust me without making me swear on the Styx?" I question him.  
"You, Hera, Hestia and a couple others are the only reason I consented to keep breathing. I trust you. Do not worry. It may be a strange purpose, but it's a purpose nonetheless." I tell her. "One problem I need to address."  
"What?" Artemis asks curiously.  
"I don't think the Hunters will appreciate a shirtless male in case they do figure out who I am. And the scars might scare them." I shrug. "I got used to being bare a long time ago. It doesn't bother me. Apparently it bothers others." I say, shrugging again.  
"I can see why." Artemis says.  
Aphrodite squeals again and on pops a t-shirt.  
"Oh gods of Olympus, why do you feel the need to put this on me? Why can I tell what it is down to the brand?! Is this your blessing Aphrodite?!" I raise my voice.  
"Yes!" She squeaks, happily excited.  
She gave me a sleeveless t-shirt. I don't want to name the brand of it either. Embarrassing. Gods she can be so annoying!  
Artemis giggles. I turn to her and raise my eyebrow in question. "It's what you thought. I think I'm the only one though. Glad to see you agree. You'll be easier to accept if youtruly see it that way." She laughs her head off and a small smile comes to my face.  
"Yes, actually, I do, but I also know that the pain that comes wiht the job is unbearable. Even without the blessing and beforeher. And it's really corrupted the position, honestly. I don't blame the position for what happened. I only blame myself. Hera knows how I feel as well. The betrayal I feel from those around me. Right, mom?" I smile at her gently.  
"So you've known for awhile. How long?" Hera asks me.  
"Since I first entered camp and they told me who I was. My mother always said it's the ones closest to you, that hurt the most. Family hurts you when you lose it. I know why you took my life from me for awhile now, I'm grateful for it to be honest. 8 months I didn't have to worry about. 8 months of blissful peace, whether I was aware of it or not. I imagine that you felt all my pain along with Aphrodite when I lost everything I had come to know in my life." I say.  
Hera nods and silently sobs, same with Aphrodite.  
"Thank you, Percy." Hera brightens.  
"Yes, mother. LAdy Artemis? Are you ready, my lady?" I turn to Artemis.  
"Percy." A hand grips my shoulder, I stiffen and face the owner of the hand. It is only Athena. I relax. "Here. You won't want to be a wolf forever." She hands me a white cloak, trimmed in gold, and it has my patrons's symbols on the hood edges. "It will cover your face inshadows, except your mouth."  
I chuckle. "Thank you." I take the cloak and put it on.  
"What's so funny?" She asks me.  
"It's white and gold. Classic Greek in my opinion. They'll think I'm older than the hills. And I'm not really 17 anymore." I tell her.  
"I see your point. How old are you?" Athena asks.  
"I'm around 3 centuries old, my lady. As I said, I lost count. Your body doesn't age down there. It's like painful immortality." I say.  
"Do you want to know how old you are?" Athena asks.  
I shrug. "If you wish to tell me." She places her hand on my head and she takes it away after a minute.  
"302. Percy you are 302 years of age. But you can still be considered 17. You're almost 18 though. It's July, summer solstice." Athena tells me.  
"Thanks. Sounds good." I bow to her.  
"302?" Poseidon whispers.  
"Council dismissed! Good luck, son." Zeus disappears in a dance of lightning bolts he summons from the air.  
"Great, my father, the Drama Queen. Thanks, dad." I mutter. "See you later, mothers. Lady Artemis?" I face her.  
She is laughing at my mention of 'Drama Queen' and hops down form her throne. I pull my hood up and I feel Riptide come back to my pocket and few other weapons I secretly trained in while I was at...that place over a certain hill topside.  
"I assume you'll meet them in wolf form?" Artemis asks.  
"Yes, I think that would be best." I shift into my wolf form. "Wonderful. I can talk in this form. I am ready, my lady." I bow as a wolf would.  
Artemis puts her hand on my back and we flash into the Hunt's camp. "Girls! Gather up! I have a new friend for us!" Artemis shouts. 


	4. Chapter 4

Point of view: Perseus Jackson The hunters start to come out of their tents to stand before their mistress. They gasp when they see me and I think it's Phoebe who holds her bow. Before I know it, the arrow hits my front left leg. It thuds into it. Ow. That's nice. I see why she shot me though. I'm a really huge, black wolf standing next to Artemis. Something is off with my fur though. I can't tell because I won't take my eyes off the hunters. I don't think Artemis wants me dead first day on the job.  
"Thanks." I mutter and shift to human, hood up.  
They all scream and arm their bows, loaded, and point them at me. I just pull the arrow out and use the water in the air to heal it. I can handle drinking it and healing with it. I just won't go to a huge source of it.  
"My lady, who is this boy?" Phoebe asks.  
"Our new Guardian of the Hunt." Artemis answers. "Will you introduce yourself and give them your vows?" Artemis turns to me.  
"Of course, my lady." I look at the hunters. "My name is Moonlace. I have vowed to protect the Hunt and their patron from any harm. At the cost of my own life if need be. And I also have sworn off the company of women forever. Just like the Huntress in the stars did with men." I say.  
"Is this true, milady?" Thalia asks, stunned.  
Artemis was smiling at the mention of our old friend, Zoe Nightshade. "Yes lieutenant. He has made his vows in front of the Olympian council. I myself chose him to be our Guardian."  
The hunters gasp. "Isn't he the first male to ever swear off women like this?" Atalanta asks.  
"Probably. I will never love in that way again. In many ways, I am much like you. If I was a female, I'd be a maiden and I would have joined the Hunt if I was able to find you. May I ask for your names?" I turn to Atalanta.  
"My name is Atalanta." I nod as she introduces herself.  
"Nice to meet you, Lady Atalanta." I say.  
"Do I know you?" Thalia comes up to me.  
"Perhaps, sister. I am Hera's child. Adopted, that is. Not to worry. As well as Hestia's." I tell her.  
"Oh, that's what she wanted to know." Artemis smiles.  
"Yes, it made her quite happy, milady. I do believe she is bouncing off walls at the moment." I answer Artemis.  
Thalia had gasped. "Wait, Hera adopted you?!"  
"Yes, my mother did. She's very sweet and loving, Lady Thalia." I say. The hunters stare at me like I've grown four more heads.  
"How old are you?" Thalia asks next.  
"302. I turned immortal at 17. Partial immortality, like you." I reply.  
"Girls, finish introducing yourselves." Artemis tels them.  
There is Thalia, Atalanta, Phoebe, Lucy, Joslyn, and about thirty more names. I nod at each one. "Nice to meet you all." I bow.  
"Moonlace. Your tent is over there." Artemis points.  
I bow to her. "Thank you, milady. Call if you have need." I walk to my tent and enter it. I immediately stumble out and growl. "That woman! Why must she torment me? Stupid Aphrodite." The sky rumbles. "Oh, shut up." The rumbling stops.  
Point of view: Artemis The girls and I just watch him. He yells at Aphrodite and walks back in. I smile, glad he doesn't like the love goddess that much.  
"My lady? Why has he sworn off love? And he mentioned Zoe. Did he know her?" Phoebe turns to me.  
"Yes, he did. Quite a long time ago. You can ask him why he has taken the oath. It's not my place to tell you and he did it of his own volition." I tell my girls.  
"Why?" Atalanta asks.  
"Ask him if you want. In my opinion, he has been through enough and I think he had another thing in mind other than the betrayal he felt." I answer.  
"Like what, milady?" Lucy asks.  
"To make you girls more comfortable around him. He only wishes to guard you. I believe it's his only purpose in life that he now possesses. Back to your chores. Dinner is in one hour. Atalanta, will you inform the male hunter?" I tell them.  
"Yes, milady." Atalanta runs off to the tent.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson Aphrodite. She haunts me , that woman.  
"Moonlace?" A girl asks.  
"Yes ma'am?" I reply.  
There's a pause before she speaks again. "Dinner is in an hour." She says.  
"Thank you." I say and the girl runs off.  
My tent has a huge bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and a chest. The outside is black with all my patrons's symbols on it. Weapons line the walls of the tent, it's magically inside is a black sky with the Huntress and a couple other constellations on it. I missed the sky. I had to change it to appear like that because everything was pink. Guess who did that little color , it was Aphrodite.  
~One Hour Later~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson I am sitting in a tree outside the camp when Phoebe comes to get me. She loks at me funny. "Come on, boy. Time for supper."  
"Very well, miss." I jump down and follow her.  
We enter the dining tent and I ask them what they want for dinner.  
"Steak and mac and cheese." Phoebe says after the girls argue for a few minutes.  
I snap my fingers and the food appears for them. "Enjoy your meal, ladies. My lady." I bow and try to leave. Key word being try. A knife wizzes past my head and sticks to the wall.  
"Where are you going?" Artemis asks.  
"To patrol the perimeter." I say, I stopped when she threw the knife.  
"Eat first." Artemis orders.  
"I have no desire to. I lost my appetite long ago." I tell her, without turning.  
"How long has it been since you last ate? Had a drink?" Artemis asks, her voice strained.  
At this I turn to look her straight in the eye. "Since I was captured, my lady. Hell kept me alive for them." I answer stoically.  
"Then you need to have dinner with us. You are in the mortal word agian, your body needs sustenance." Artemis argues.  
"I have a feeling I am unwelcome among your followers." I tell her.  
"Nonsense. Now, sit down and eat or I'll force it down your throat." Artemis threatens.  
I laugh under my breath. "Didn't Dionysus show you? That threat has already been done. But I will eat if it makes you happy." I say and sit on the floor in the corner. I summon a plate of three pieces of toast and stare off into space while I eat. When I finish, I know immediately where the food is going later. I rise and the plate disappears from my hand.  
"Done?" Artemis asks.  
"Yes, Lady Artemis. I will attend to my duties now. Enjoy the rest of your meal." I bow, turn into a wolf, and dart out of the tent.  
~Three Hours Later~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson I have been running perimeter for three hours now. I head back to my tent and transform back to human. I enter the bathroom and out comes my dinner into the magical plumbing. That's always fun.  
"Moonlace, are you alright?" I hear Artemis at my tent entrance. I am unable to answer. "Moonlace?" Still can't answer her. "I'm coming in." She states.  
Artemis walks in and comes to me while I toss up whatever is left in my stomach.  
"What hapened?" She says, kneeling beside me.  
What comes up now is blood. "Food is like poison to me at the moment. Do not worry, my lady. It will pass." I cough and stand. I offer her my hand and she takes it. Once she is up, I remove my hand from hers. "You should sleep, milady. It is early in the morning." I tell her.  
"Percy, where in Tartarus did they take you?" Artemis makes me look at her.  
"You saw the cave." I answer.  
"But where was it?" She persists.  
"The deepest part of the Pit. Okay? Every Giant and Titan visited me. But the worst was Polybotes and Oceanus. Whether I like it or not, Poseidon's blood runs through my veins. When Polybotess found out I'd ben disowned, he just made it did what he promised to do to me for the longest time. The only thing I couldn't get used to because it was my father's bane. My bane. It went on for months. The blood, the things he used, the screaming, the crying, the laughter of pure joy." My voice cracks on joy. I can't look away from the silver orbs of Artemis because her hand is keeping my head in place. "Your eyes..." She whispers.  
"What about them?" I ask.  
"They've lost their light. Their mirth that they used to be filled to the brim with." She tells me.  
"Because I've seen and been through too much. I'm not innocent anymore. Go to bed, Lady Artemis." I reply and remove her hand.  
I walk her to the door and she hesitantly leaves the tent. But she sticks her head back in.  
"Did Hera find you at Athena's palace?" Artemis asks.  
"Yes, she demanded to know why I was there, so Athena told her. I had to console both of them. Sleep, please." She finallyleaves me to the peace and quiet of the night.  
I lay down and close my eyes.  
~In Percy's Dream~ I'm chained at the bottom of a pool filled with seawater. I look up and see Oceanus, Polybotes, and Porphyrion above me. They all smile sadistically and I can't move. I struggle to break my restraints. I look up as I hear a blade unsheathing. Polybotes cuts his wrist and lets his polluted blood drip into the pool. It reaches me and I start screaming. It's poison and I can't breath with it, but they let me breath so they can keep enjoying their little games. I glare up at them. Oceanus pours Greek fire in after I stop screaming. My body convulses and I start coughing up blood in fountains. What I didn't want to happen, happened next. Porphyrion, bane of Zeus, electrified the water and combined with my bane and Greek fire, I was in intense pain. They left me like that for two days. Porphyrion kept a continuous stream of lightning flowing into the water. When I finally stopped screaming again, Oceanus broke my chains and brought me up. He held me in the air by the neck. I am shivering uncontrollably and I'm still coughing up blood.  
"Look at you! You look perfect! So, will you be my champion? Or do we need to do this again." Oceanus beams at me.  
"No." I rasp. "I won't...betray...the gods." I choke on my blood.  
He throws me against the wall. Polybotes comes and crouches before me, along with Porphyrion. "Why not, kid?" Porphyrion cocks his head at me, a confused look on his face.  
"They threw you away for that other Poseidon scum. What about your dad? Why isn't he scrambling to find you? You're his favorite little spawn." Polybotes asks me, getting in my face.  
I look away and a tear trails down my face. "I'm not his favorite. And I'm not his son anymore." I whisper, barely audible. But they hear me loud and clear.  
"He did it! He threw away his pride and joy for someone who can barely lift a sword!" Polybotes bellows happily.  
"So, they toss aside their greatest weapon of the millenia for some child who can't even fight off a dracaena, eh? This is even better. This gives me some ideas. Put him back into the pool Oceanus." Porphyrion laughs and orders Oceanus.  
Oceanus throws me back in and the process begins again.  
~In Percy's Tent~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson I jolt awake. I'm drenched in sweat. That's why I'm frightened of water, why I won't go near it. Why I hate Poseidon. Even more I hate camp and Annabeth. I fear my own lifeblood, the sea. I can't stand it anymore. It almost makes me sick, I can't touch it, let alone look at it.  
I hop out of be, shower, shift into a wolf, and run perimeter again.  
~Two Weeks Later~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson That's how it has been for two weeks. I didn't have a nightmare again 'til this past week. The next nightmare I had was one ofthe days I had all my organs except for my heart ripped out of my body and had them stuffed back in in the worng places. Then the next night was the same thing with my bones. Every malicious laugh, every slice of the knives. I wake up in a cod, clammy sweat and run perimeter to get it off my mind. The wolf side of my personality lets me play around with the other animals. I would disable human traps and save little animals in my human form and go back to wolf after they were taken care of. They would always thank me and chitter at me until they had to go back to what they were doing before.  
Today though I wake to shouting and an arguement. Death threats flying between Artemis and...hmm, I have to find out, I guess.  
I walk out of my tent and find Artemis shouting at Phoebe.  
"He is a decent man!" Artemis shouts.  
"No man or boy is ever decent!" Phoebe hollers back.  
"There is one." Thalia adds quietly. "Percy."  
My breath catches in my throat. "Yeah, well he's been missing for a long time, Thalia! He's either dead or captured or not able to do anything due to serious injury. I admit he is a good man, but he has been gone too long for a demigod of his caliber to be alive. I'm sorry, I know how dear he was to you." Phoebe hugs my crying cousin. She sobs into Phoebe's shoulder.  
I clear my throat and everybody turns to look at me. Most with hatred, but some with curiosity. "Do you really believe that about Perseus Jackson? Do you miss him that mch?" I ask.  
All the hunters look at me and I motion for the campfire. After they all sit down, I take my place at Artemis's side. She sits in a chair, while I sit on the ground next to her feet. The hunters sit in their own chairs, like Artemis.  
"What do you know about Percy?" Phoebe asks for Thalia, who is sniffling.  
"More than you think." A small smile reaches my lips, but only just.  
"How do you know my cousin?" Thalia looks at me with hope in her eyes.  
I inhale deeply and flick my hood back. "Because I am your cousin. How are ya, Thals?" I answer with tears in my eyes. I don't let them spill though.  
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Thalia sparks with eletricity all over her body.  
She sees the lifeless look I carry and immediately comes and hugs me, I return her hug gently. "I've been someplace bad, Thals. I jst got back when I joined the Hunt. And only because Lady Athena found me." I hold back my emotions, except gentleness towards Thalia.  
"W-where did s-she get you f-from?" Thalia stutters out, crying.  
"Hell." The word floats around and hangs over everyone's heads 


	5. Chapter 5

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "W-what?" Phoebe splutters out.  
"Phoebe, I was captured and I went to Tartarus. Again." I say softly.  
"Prove it." Atalanta tells me.  
"Thals, I need you to get off." I remove her from my torso and hand her to Artemis.  
I take off my cloak. "What are you doing?" Phoebe asks, eyeing my cloak.  
"I'm proving to you that I have been down in Tartarus. Just like Atalanta wants." I say and pull off my shirt and let it fall to theground, on top of my cloak.  
A couple hunters let out horrified screams, some gag, some faint or throw up, and the rest just stare at my chest, their eyes frozen at itin terror.  
"By the gods of Olympus." One of the older hunters breathes, Lucy I think her name is.  
"What does that say?" Atalanta points at my midsection.  
"Read it. I don't know what it says. They carved it into my flesh and I blacked out from the lack of blood in my body. I'm dyslexic, but it's in Greek. Problem is, it's in small writing and it's upside down. The gods didn't even see it." I shrug.  
Atalanta comes up to me reluctantly. My form is rigid, so I don't startle her. She leans in front of me and squints to make out the words. She puts her finger on the words and follows them, all the while touching my skin. I involuntarily shudder. She reads them as she traces with her index finger. "You will...always re...return to us, you are our...our. Phoebe, this last word is too smal. Can you read it?" Atalanta turns to Phoebe, who, after a moments hesitation, comes up a looks at the word.  
"Pawn. The last word is pawn. You will always return to us, you are our pawn. Wha's the 'O' below it?" Phoebe looks up at studies the words again.  
"Oceanus. You haven't even seen my back yet." I turn around. "They all branded me, but you can barely see them with everything else. But I know where each one is." I bend down and put my shirt back on and drape my cloak over my arm. I lookup at the stars at my favorite constellation, the Huntress. My back to them.  
"Percy, you were there for seven months. Are you okay?" Thalia asks.  
I chuckle without humor. "I was there for longer, Thalia. I'll never be okay. Not after everything that has come to pass. The person who dragged me down there in the first place is what ruined me the most. The reason I swore off the company of women." I say, still looking at the sky. The last of the moonlight shines upon my silver skin, just like the hunters.  
"Oh gods. Please tell me..." Thalia begins, but stops. She can't say it.  
"Did you guess who it was?" I ask without looking at her. I put my hands in my pockets and look at the ground.  
"Annabeth? You can't be serious, Perce." Thalia says, disgusted.  
"As serious as the 'A' she burned into my lower back." I answer. I finally turn to look at her. Her hands cover her mouth, tears are spilling down her face, and she's got a hurtful look in her eyes. I open my arms and sigh. Thalia runs into them and criesher heart out into my shirt.  
"I'm sorry...I ever doubted...you, Perce. I really..." She starts hyperventilating while she weeps.  
I stroke her hair in a comforting motion. "Come now, Thals. When have you known me to hold a grudge against you? You're forgiven, Pinecone face. The only grudges I have at the moment are at Annabeth and the camp. Even now, I'm fighting against forgiving the camp." I tell her.  
"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me about your brother sooner?! I could've helped you!" Thalia pounds on my chest.  
Bad move. I have to pull away and cover my mouth before I cough blood on her. I turn and try to hide it, but it takes a few minutes to stop coughing. By that time, Thalia is hovering over me protectively. And looking at the pool of blood that has gathered between my hands. I am on my hands and feet, trying to stop my coughing fit. After a few minutes, I am able to keep from hacking out my lungs.  
"That really hurts coming out." I say and blood splutters on the ground.  
Thalia kneels beside me. "Percy, please come to the infirmary tent." Thalia begs me.  
I shake my head. "No. This is a side effect. It will go away eventually."  
"Perce?" Thalia puts her hand on my back and rubs it soothingly.  
"Yeah, Thals?" I reply.  
"How long have you been back?" Thalia asks.  
"Two weeks." I tell her.  
"How many times has this happened now?" She gestures to the blood.  
"Seven. Seven times." I answer.  
"I have one more question." Thalia says.  
"What do you wish to know?" I implore.  
She inhales deeply. "If you weren't down there for seven months, how long were you down there?"  
There is a long moment of silence, until I look over into her soul-piercing, electric blue eyes and answer her question. "Near three centuries."  
All the hunters come over to me and hug me or kiss me on the cheek individually. The yall apologize, every single last one of them, including Artemis. Which I didn't understand until she whispered into my ear, "I should've kept them from being so rude." I whispered back in answer, "Not to worry. It is fine."  
I had to stand up and prove I was alright until they came near me and did anything physical.  
"Don't worry about me. I'll be there in the morning for you guys when you wake up. For now, I need to rest or lay down to get over this stupid breathing problem." I say and try, key word again being try, to get back to my tent. Artemis stops me with a hand on my shoulder. "What is it, my lady?"  
"Will you lay down for a second on the ground? Please?" Artemis puts a hand on my chest to keep me from getting by.  
"Very well." I say and move to lay down where I am. The sun is starting to take over the sky and the stars are being overshined as it rises. I watch as the sky becomes bright.  
"Apollo!" Artemis shouts all of a sudden.  
Then a bright flash appeas at her side. "What ya need sis?" Apollo asks.  
"Will you check Percy?" Artemis pleads.  
"Of course." He nods and comes to kneel beside me. "How are you feeling today, Perce?"  
"Same as two weeks ago. Better than three weeks ago. Still somewhat suicidal. Feelings overiding my system and I can't keep down any food or liquid. Not to mention the headaches and the blody coughing fits. The nightmares don't help either." I tell him casually, still looking at the sky.  
"You my friend need to brighten up and become more optimistic." Apollo says seriously, for once.  
"Doubt it will happen. I am here to serve as Guardian, not to feel sorry for myself." I shrug.  
Apollo places one hand on my chest and another on my forehead. I close my eyes as I feel things starting to heal slowly, when Apollo's light flashes over my body. Then it fades and I open my eyes back at the sky and wait for him to speak.  
"Right, well your right lung was working hard to force breath into you and push the blood out. Almost all of your ribs were broken and your left ankle was almost completely shattered. Why in HADES were you out and about?!" He yells at me.  
"Because pain doesn't bother me at that level. I don't feel it like the rest of you would." I tell him, I watch as clouds drift in and out of view.  
"What all did they do to you?" Apollo asks.  
"You want me to water it down or do you want to see it for yourself through my memories? I guarnatee you that you'll be scarred for life, Apollo." I glance at him and look back up.  
"Why are you so obsessed with the sky, Percy?" Lucy asks me.  
"Because. The only thing I've really seen for a long time now is either red mist or darkness as a ceiling. I'm taking in the sky, Lucy. In all of it's beautiful glory." I answer.  
"Oh." Lucy looks down.  
"So, sun god. Bright and cheery or painfully excruciating?" I ask Apollo.  
"I'lll settle for bright and cheery." Apollo says.  
"You got a drachma?" I ask him.  
He places one in my hand and I create a mist. As the rainbow appears I chant, "O' Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering and show us Percy Jackson's memories of his seond time in Tartarus." I flip the coin into the rainbow.  
We got to see everything! Isn't that wonderful? Note my sarcasm.  
We got to see all the bones in my body ripped out and forced back in, same with the organs, the pool scene several times, my bones broken and healed painfully until I was a bloody sack of a person, poisons of all kinds shoved into my system whetherthrough cuts or shoved down my throat, whipping, cutting, hitting, kicking, beating in general, drowning, electrocuting, and so much more. Every day, Christmas music played in the background, mocking me the entire time, when I had no happy thoughts left in my mind. Then we got to see the mental torture. The hunters and the gods just watch, their eyes glued to the IM in horror. They take notice and coment about how I don't cry out in pain until Polybotes gets involved. Every single Titan, Giant, and monster ever known to the mythical world came to visit me. They all came for me.  
After the Iris message ends, I still lay there on the cold, hard ground. Just like that table they strapped me to and the shackles.  
"I said the bright and cheery version!" Apollo screams frustrated.  
"That was the bright and cheery version. The other version means watering it down and leaving out how damaged I truly am, doctor Apollo. I thought you wanted to know the extent of my little situation. Now you all know everything. Beautiful holiday vacation, right? I bet you're all just dying to go." I say sarcastically.  
"Percy?" Phoebe asks hesitantly, unsure of if she should voice her question.  
"Yes, Lady Phoebe?" I watch her as she comes to kneel beside me. I look into her eyes and hold her gaze.  
"Why didn't you die? How did you survive?" Phoebe takes my hand. I don't jerk it away, I just let her hold it.  
I sigh. "The spell, Kronos, Tartarus. Anthing they did to keep me alive. It could have been any one of them or anything they did to me to keep me alive for my torment, so I would break and join them. They desperately wanted me and enjoyed watching my pain. Even if I did die, they would have either resurrected me or caught my soul and shove it right back into my body. So they could keep going. Maybe I did die, just came back because of their little magic tricks and healing sessions, so they could start all over again. You'd have to ask them if you truly want to know." I tell her.  
"You lasted a month before they finally got you to make any noise." Phoebe pints out again.  
"An Earth month, yes. It's longer down there. That's why they brought Polybotes in. Styx that hurt. I'll kill him next time I see him, first chance I get. That stupid bastard is dead the moment he is within my range." I say.  
"How are you so...?" Joslyn finally speaks.  
"Blunt?" I ask. She nods. "Because I'm not down there anmore and I've resolved to eradicate them if they are ever in my sights. Plus, there's really no use complaining. What's done is done. Not like I feel much more anyways. I was never scared, jus tired, sore, lonely, and angry as Hades, but never terrified. It just hurt. A lot." I tell them.  
"What do you mean by feel?" Thalia asks.  
"My emotions, Thals. They aren't there. I can't feel anything other than tired." I say.  
"You just got to learn how to use them again." Phoebe says.  
"Great. A hunt for my condemned feelings. This should be fun." I roll my eyes. 


	6. Chapter 6

Point of view: Artemis When the boys approach Phoebe and Thalia, I get so angry. Then, Atalanta grasps my hand tightly and nods at Percy. He's glaring at them murderously.  
"Leave my sisters and I be, boys. Turn around and walk away." Percy warns him.  
The boy standing in front of Percy flicks him in the chest. "What's it to you, prettyboy?"  
Percy grabs all three boys by their throats and walks into the alley next to us. Phoebe and Thalia come back to stand with me.  
"What do you think he's-" Atalanta is cut off by muffled screams and the knocking over of trash cans. A loud bang is heard a few minutes later and Percy steps out of the alley, hands in his pockets and motions us to follow continue down thestreet.  
"What did you do?" Lucy asks.  
"Something even you hunters wouldn't think of. Lets just say they might never look at girls the same way again. I think it's better than being a jackelope, but..." He shrugs.  
The hunters all giggle and Percy just laughs heartily along with us.  
~Three Hours Later~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson We ended up seeing this supposed horror movie called, 'Ouija.' Didn't look scary to me. The girls and I enjoyed ourselves immensely, despite being the only ones laughing almost the entire movie. I sat on the outside and everyone had either nachos and cheese or popcorn. Though Phoebe is now currently addicted to 'Milk Duds.' The evil little buggers.  
The nightmares have all but stopped, but I still get them when I'm really tired or just upset. At least they aren't the worst parts of my time in that cave. Apollo was jumping for joy when I told him. I guess his 'therapy' worked, but I almost killed him when he tried to talk me into spying on girls and Artemis nearly had a heart attack and I had to restrain her from turning him into a jackelope and hunting him to the edges of the Earth. I was tempted to let her, but I knew she wouldn't forgive herself for making her brother reform, so I calmed her down. The Hunt was harder to calm down though. That took approximately three hours. Not including the five hours I had to hold back Artemis. I don't cough up blood anymore either. All my injuries are healed and I can keep my meals down.  
But, of course, as I'm thinking about this, a mortal stabs me. With a pen. A dam pen. Come on! What in HADES is a mortal doing stabbing people with a pen?!  
The boy bumps into me and his pen stabs me in the side because he was holding the pointy end out while he was looking at it.  
"Sorry! I-I didn't mean to. Are you okay?" It's a boy around twelve. My face softens.  
I pul the pen out of my side. Yay, more blood. Sarcasm there if you couldn't tell. I wipe it off on my shirt and pull the hodie back down.  
"Don't worry about it, kid. Don't you have a home?" I ask.  
"Yea, but I'm skipping school." The boy says.  
"Why?" I continue.  
"The kids there hate me and my mom won't let me transfer." The boy looks down and fiddles with his pen.  
"What's your name, kid?" I ask him.  
"Josh." He says.  
"Well, Josh, you have any talents?" I ask and kneel so I'm at his eye level.  
"I get perfect grades and I'm okay at baseball." He tells me.  
"That why they pick on you?" I raise an eyebrow.  
He sighs. "Yes."  
"You know, when I was in school, I got crappy grades." I put my hand on his shoulder. "I'm dyslexic though, so it kind of comes with it. Truth is, I never worked at it. Now I just live with my sisters or my mom. I work as a bodyguard. You can have a better life than I do. What do you want to be?" I ask him gently.  
He ponders for a moment. "A doctor. I want to save people! Just like the other ones."  
"That's very noble of you. But you aren't getting anywhere out here. What school do you go to?" I ask him.  
"Yancy Academy." He answers.  
I snort. "Oh, yep. Never liked that one. C'mon. I'll walk you there. You haven't even missed your first two classes yet." I stand up and start to walk. After a few minutes, he jogs to catch up.  
"Why are you being so nice, mister?" He takes my hand. I squeeze it and smile down at him.  
"Because when I was your age, I wish I had someone to knock some sense into me. It took me forever to realize who I wanted to be and only after I went through a tough time. My sisters were there for me, they helped me make a new life." I tell him.  
"You mean those girls back there?" He asks, loking back at the Hunt following us.  
"Yup. We live together. I'm the only boy though. It's nice to be surrounded by family after all that has happened." I look up at the late morning sky.  
"What do you mean?" He asks.  
"Well, my childhood was awful and then I went through a very dark time. My step-father was the cause of ruining my childhood. My mother sent me to a camp in hopes it would make my summer a bit happier. But, after awhile, it no longer felt like home to me and all my friends went their separate ways. I fell in love, got my heart broken, and got lost in the wilderness. I almost died so many times out there, I couldn't keep track anymore. Then, a friend saved me. When I came back, my mother and my new step-father were killed. My sisters made me who I am today. They are the only reason that I'm still here. I lost everything and they came to be the only reason that I wake up in the everyday." I tell him my life story in a summary.  
"Sounds like I have it better than I thought." Josh looks down.  
"Bullies suck though. Stand up to them. It stopped them from harrassing me. You look like you can handle yourself and screw the consequences. Just be in control." I reply.  
He tugs on my hand and I look down at him. He's smiling at me. "For someone who got bad grades, you're really smart mister. Wise. What's your name?" Josh asks me.  
I laugh. "My name is Perseus Jackson, kid. You can call me Percy for short. I turn twenty today."  
"You don't look it. Happy Birthday Percy. I'm Josh Peeks." He gives me his full name.  
"Thanks." After a few more minutes, we arrive at my old school. "Tell ya what, Josh. I'll walk you in and see how my old teachers react. Lets go face 'em. I'll be back sisters!" I call over my shoulder.  
"Hurry up! We have a surprise for you!" Atalanta replies.  
I lead the kid into the office. I take him to the principal's door and I knock. The principal clears his throat and we enter. We sit down in the chairs. When the principal looks up, he does a double take on both of us.  
"'Sup? I found the kid outside. You should really watch your students. I hear they're still taking out their daddy issues on theless fortunate ones." I say.  
"Percy? Never thought I'd see your sorry hide again. Where'd you find him?" The principal inquires.  
"Just walking around, then he stabbed me with a pen when he bumped into me. Poor kid, he was upset. I'm guessing bad step-father too. Since ya jumped whenever I mentioned mine, right Josh?" I smile at the boy.  
"How did you catch that?" Josh asks me.  
I chuckle. "Part of my job description. Bodyguard. But I also help with security. Helps protect my sisters. And believe me when I tell you they can be down right horrifying. But they can be absolutely kind. Like I said, reason I'm standing here today, kid. Or I would have died years ago. Around the time I went here actually. That's when it all began." I look around the room.  
"How old were you then?" Josh asks.  
"Twelve." I answer without hesitation.  
"How old are you now, Percy?" The principal implores.  
"I turn twenty today, sir." I reply.  
"When did you turn out to be so respectful?" The principal asks.  
"The day my awful step-father got what he deserved and my mother found actual love. But all three are dad now. I have two adoptive mothers, they are sisters and my biological father is nowhere to be found. All my friends are gone and I got around 34 sisters and two adoptive mothers. My sisters and I were out celebrating my birthday when we found Josh here. Do me a favor, sir. Watch Josh. He is being singled out because he's got a brain. Don't make him regret it. I must take my leave. My sisters are waiting. Good luck, kid. Save thos lives for me. Maybe we'll meet again and I'll still bet, you won't have changed one single bit. Work hard. See ya, Josh Peeks." I get up and am about to walk out when I hear Josh's voice say my name.  
"Percy, I think you're my new hero. I'm going to be just like you when I grow up." Josh says, hurrying to tell me before I leave.  
I chuckle. "Being a hero isn't all it turns out to be, kid. I learned that the hard way. But I'll tell you this. If you can make it through it, then you'll be al the happier in the end. Stray from your path and it will be tragic, just like mine was." I say and then the principal speaks up.  
"Perseus, you've turned into a fine young man." He says.  
I laugh. "Nah, I've just seen too much not to grow up. If I hadn't, I'd still be that sparkly eyed troublemaker who wad lovestruck by some blond girl. Now, I just protect my family so nobody dies in front of me. Too many have perished in my life time, sir. I've been to too many funerals and burnings. Nice seeing you again. Have fun and watch the kid. Don't let him lose anything close to him if you can help it." I say and close the door behind me.  
I meet the girls back outside. "What took you so long?" Jade asks as she climbs up to sit on my shoulders. I turn and look at the school. I see Josh waving and the principal watching me. I wave back and start walking away.  
"I saw an old aquaintance of mine, from the beginning." I say softly.


	7. Chapter 7

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Did he appear glad to see you?" Artemis asks.  
"He complimented me on growing up. I just told him the truth. I lost my childhood before it even started." I say. "What's this surprise you guys conveniently planned?"  
"We are taking you out for awesome food!" Phoebe exclaims. Thalia finally got her to use the word after my second year in the Hunt. A constant arguement.  
"As long as it's not fish. I'm all for it." I smile.  
"Why?" Jade asks from my shoulders.  
"Son of Poseidon, Jade. I don't do dead fish." I shiver.  
"Oh, does it really effect you that bad?" She asks.  
"Yeah, someone put a dead fish in my cabin one year and I didn't come out of the infirmary for three days. Lets just say they didn't get out for a week when I felt better and got my hands on them." I tell her.  
The hunters and Artemis giggle. "Why were you in the infirmary for three days?" Artemis inquires.  
"Vomiting. Fever. Then after I had nothing left to vomit, I ended up almost coughing out all my blood. The fever just made me hallucinate. Not the greatestthing to have a severely angry, completely sick, hallucinating demigod trying to kill the eople who pulled the prank. Guess who did it." I say.  
"Hermes?" Atalanta guesses.  
"Apollo?" Thalia asks.  
"Nope. Wrong both times." I say.  
"Ares?" Phoebe tries.  
"Athena?" Joslyn chimes in.  
"Not even close. You guys, it was Hephaestus' cabin. They were all in the infirmary for a week." I say.  
"You sound like you're good at pranking too. From what the big sisters tell us." Jade says from my shoulders.  
"Learned from...the best." I sigh. "I like it in the Hunt better. So much more peaceful and caring. Not as stressful or demanding." I admit. "I love the feeling of being free."  
"Yes, I still get that feeling after all these years." Phoebe agrees.  
"Contenment." Atalanta sighs.  
"A family." Thalia adds.  
"And an awesome one at that. Pretty much perfect." I say.  
"I couldn't agree more." Artemis says.  
"We're here!" Thalia announces excitedly.  
We are standing in front of a really fancy, super expensive restaurant. Just kidding. It's a Burger King.  
"Oh my gods...you guys know me so wel!" I beam at them and laugh heartily.  
They laugh along with me and we walk in. Problem number one: I have a kid on my shoulders. Problem two: I'm the same height as the feaking doors. Problem three: I have to duck really low so neither of us hit out heads. Problem four: There are two doors, so I have to remember to duck twice.  
We all order and sit down in the back area. We take up the entire space. The manager comes over and he wants to say something, but I speak before he does. "Sir, we won't cause any trouble. I promise. Unless someone hurts one of my sisters, of course. We are gathered for a rare occasion. We will behave appropriately to the situation, do not worry."  
He nods and smiles a little. His body relaxes and he holds himself in a less tense position. " Thank you for understanding. I have to check on large groups. Regulations can be tedious, but must be followed. May I ask the occasion?"  
"My birthday." I state simply.  
"Why is it rare?" He tilts his head. "It's not a leap year."  
"Lets just say I've come close to dying a few times and my sisters wanted to spend time me in case it actually happens." I reply.  
"Why did you pick here, of all places?" He continues.  
"They figured out I like cheeseburgers. Or just burgers in general. Either way, they chose a place that was great for that qualification." I tell him.  
"I see. Well I wish you luck with the rest of your life. Hopefully you live long." He says.  
"Thanks." I smile and he walks off.  
"How are you so nice?" Atalanta asks.  
"Uh...I don't know. Talking in public isn't my strong suit. One on one is preferable. What I find ironic is being able to lead a mass of people against another one. Blame the fatal flaw." I say.  
"Loyalty." Thalia says. "Don't very little demigods get that flaw?"  
"Not to mention so strongly." Phoebe adds.  
"Normally most demigods have power flaws. Greed, you know." Atalanta says.  
Phoebe, Thalia, Atalanta, Artemis, Jade and I are at a table, while all the other hunters were as close to us as possible. Everyone was chowing down hungrily on the food the waitress brought out.  
"How are you feeling, Percy? Honestly?" Thalia asks.  
"Much better, Thals. And all because of my sisters and mistress. Oh, but Apollo helped the most." I say in a false tone in the last sentence.  
The hunters and Artemis snicker at that and I smile. Phoebe playfully punches my shoulder. "Seriously, Thals. I've never felt this happy in all my life. I can't imagine life outside the Hunt anymore. It'd be like ripping my soul out." I tell her.  
"Good to hear." Artemis smiles at me and I return her smile. For some reason, she turns red. "It's also nice to see you openly smiling again."  
"Great." I finish off my second and last Whopper. I was taking my time though.  
"And you've gained a much better apetite." Phoebe points out.  
"Yeah, well...it's nice to be able to eat again, without the contents coming back up because of my stomach." I say.  
"Nightmares?" Atalanta inquires, finishing her last nugget.  
"All but extinct. I barely get them now. For some reason, Apollo didn't believe me. I wonder if maybe sometimes I just black itout and only my subconscious remembers. So, really it's a blessing." I answer.  
"Dreams?" Jade asks. Of course, she's such a sweet little girl. Always on the bright side of things.  
"Hunting and running in my human and wolf form. Lying next to a lake now that I've stopped fearing water completely. Thanks to Phoebe." I clear my throat.  
She smiles sheepishly. "Well, you were still a little frightened, so I fixed it."  
"Throwing me into the lake and attempting to drown someone with PTSD over water is not the best solution." I cross my arms.  
She sticks her tongue out at me. "Well it worked."  
I sigh and she grins. "Thank you, Phoebe."  
"No problem, Percy. My pleasure to frighten a boy, even if you're the only good one out there in the universe." Phoebe replies.  
"Yes, I don't get scared much. Sometimes I wonder though." I run my hand through my hair, lean back into the booth, and gaze out the window thoughtfully.  
"About what?" Thalia implores.  
"If I should really be thanking her. She gave me my life in the Hunt, even if it was a consequence of what transpired." I sigh.  
"I see where you are coming from Percy and that you've put a lot of thought into this, but no one deserves what they did to you. And we all know you've got everything bottled up and that you still haven't let it out. We are worried about you snapping if someone says something that sets you off." Artemis puts her hand on my arm.  
I sigh again and look at my family. "I know. I've come close several times. When I get angry, my reflexes take over and I have no idea what happened until the rage goes away. I haven't done that since the Giant War though. But I can still get so mad I'll blow up everything within a ten mile radius with Hestia's blessing. I don't want to hurt any of you. So I contain it. It's best directed at objects rather than loved ones."  
"How many times?" Jade asks.  
"Only five." When I got over my shock because Phoebe threw me into the lake, when a hellhound attacked Lucy, when that idiot boy was harrassing Thalia a few months ago, at my own stupidity over that seamonster incident a couple years ago, and when Poseidon came to speak with me last year, the day he reclaimed me as his own. I almost killed him for coming near me in my mother Hera's palace a while back that day." I reply.  
"You know you can let it out, right? We'd be alright. I could put up a shield so you can vent. Without harming us." Artemis offers.  
"I'll warn you next time my emotions are too high to keep in check if I remember. Thank you. Apollo doesn't really...know how to talk to me, so he sends me into my mind to let my anger out. Not helpful. My physical body feels the need to rip something apart without hurting anything living. I calm myself with Hestia's power." I tell her.  
"So..." Thalia begins.  
"Eventually, I will blow up. A 'ticking time bomb of Greek fire' as Apollo like to call me." I shrug.  
"It's true in a way." Joslyn comes over and scoots next to me as Jade crawls into my lap. "You have it all stored up and with Hestia's blessing, you can control and make Greek fire. We should take you to a mountain range. Provoke you and let you feel better."  
"One word, Joslyn. Earthshaker." I say.  
"Oh, good point. Maybe one where there isn't any civilization." She suggests.  
I chuckle. "If we ever have time. Right now, I'm enjoying time with my family."  
"I have some news for you all tomorrow. Good nights sleep for everyone before we leave for a newdestination." Artemis announces loud enough for everyone.  
They started to get excited at the prospect of hunting in a different area after a couple weeks.  
"Alright. How about we get to bed?" I say.  
There was a collective 'aw!' from the hunters. Artemis and I laugh and smile at them. "Can you tell us a story, Percy?" Tiffany asks.  
"I guess. Lets get out of here." I say and rise.  
They all brightened at my acceptance of the story time they loved to have. We normally have it twice a week, but this would be the fourth time. Jade grins and yells, "Yay!" As she hops onto my shoulders again.  
Artemis pays the bil and I frown, she just rolls her eyes and flashes us to the campfire. Artemis makes me sit in a chair now instead of on the ground. She insisted until I gave in and Thalia tied me down to the chair. I started freaking out until she untied me. She immediately started apologizing and Artemis looked frightened at how I reacted. I sit in the chair, but if anyone tries to bind me to it, nope ain't sitting down.  
Jade runs off to her fellow little ones and I start a fire. As I tell the tale of my third quest and exaggerate my late friends Zoe and Bianca. They deserved it and in my eyes they were wonderful people and heroes on that quest. The fire shows every detail as my voice regales and carries throughout the clearing we settle in about everything my mind remembers.  
Phoebe, Thalia, Atalanta, Artemis, and the rest of the older hunters have tears in their eyes. Everybody wishes each other good night when I finish. I sit in my chair and stare into the flames.  
I feel a hand on my shoulder and watch as Phoebe and Thalia come back and slide into the two chairs next to me.  
"I miss them." Phoebe says.  
"Me too, so much. And they died saving her, but they did it mostly for Artemis. If they were here, they would be furious." Thalia adds.  
Both hunters have tears leaking out of their eyes and rolling down their faces. I wipe them off and tell them, "You should know, while one may be in the stars and the other in Elysium, they both reside here." I point to their hearts. "Like I said, they both fought bravely and would do it again because the prophecy needed to be fulfilled. 'A child of the eldest gods, will reach sixteen against all odds.' I had to face life and death every year until I fulfiled the Great Prophecy and the quest's prophecy needed to be completed before I could. 'One will be lost in the land without rain,' that was Bianca. 'And one shall perish by a parent's hand,' that was Zoe. Aphrodite was meant to order the Stoll brothers to poison that shirt they gave you, Phoebe. The prophecy had to include me. I had to be there to take the sky from Artemis. Whether shewas in danger or not, I had a gutfeeling and I knew what I had to do. It's one of the reasons I followed them on that quest, not just because of Annabeth. Just remember, you never truly lose someone. They are always there to watch over you. It was Bianca's last wish that I protect her little brother and I have. I still will, to keep my promise. He just hasn't found me yet and I don't plan on going to camp any time soon. You girls should get some sleep. I'll guard over the camp tonight."  
They both hug me and bid me good night. I watch the fire for a little while longer before turning into a wolf and running a perimeter around the camp a few times before coming and laying outside of the younger hunters's tent. My main duty is to protect the young of the Hunt. Artemis insists. I switch back to human and bring one knee to my chest and lay my other leg spread out. One arm on my knee and the other on a dagger at my side.  
~Six Hours Later~ I've been up all night, waiting for any threats. None have come or made themselves known that I could not sense. I turn into a wolf and howl as the last of the moonlight is lost behind the sun. Artemis also insists on this new wakeup call now. The hunters actually like it. The young ones come out first and pet my fur. Which I figured out has streaks of the different colors throughout it because of my patrons. Pink is for Aphrodite, Red is for Ares, Orange for Hestia, Pale yellowish gold for Hera, Royal blue for Zeus, Silver for Artemis, Sea green for my original powers being the son of Poseidon, and Gray for Athena. My dominant fur color however is midnight black though, my original hair color. My eyes have settled on being a swirl of colors because of my powers, but they are still mainly sea green. If you think as the streaks in my fur as highlights, it's close enough. They took a picture of me so I can look at it, but they made me look in a mirror as well. The highlights are more like continuous streams running all the way into my tail fur. I sketched it out from the picture and unfortunately, the girls found out I could draw. I drew Zoe from memory for them and Bianca too. Then I drew them shooting together when we battled the Nemean Lion. I drew everything from all my quests that did not include Annabeth. I never drew her, except when Apollo wants me vent by drawing and makes me draw her. I asked Artemis to give me memories of what all her late hunters looked like and I would draw them for her. WHen I finished she wouldn't stop crying for two hours and the older hunters were in much the same state. They all thanked me and they hung them in the dining tent. They still hang there today. Artemis told me she would put them in her cabin at camp if we ever go there again. Apollo makde me draw every scene from Tartarus as therapy once he figured out I could draw. Effective I'll admit, but it was all kept in a 'classified' file in Apollo's palace on Olympus. They were super vivid and he discusses them with Hera and Hestia.  
Artemis walks upto me and I shift to human form. I lead everyone to the dining tent and I summon food for them to choose from. When I sit down, Artemis presents me with two silver-wrapped presents and one gold-wrapped present. I take them gingerly and realize no one is going to eat until I open them.  
I open the smallest silver box first and find a scrapbook of pictures of the Hunt with me in most of them. The other silver box holds a sketchbook and utencils to use with it. The gold one contains pictures of my mortal mother and Paul, living happily together before they died. There are also pictures that I never knew were taken from when I was a kid, that was of me or my mom or both. And for the first time, in a long time, away from that awful place, a tear slides down the side of my face as I look at my beautiful mother and her husband.  
"You don't know how much these mean to me." I whisper quietly, trying not to cry for their sakes.  
"Oh, Percy." Thalia says.  
I lift upthe pictures to find a letter from my mom and Paul. There is another set of papers underneath that, but it looks like a document. I pick up the letter and realize that Paul took the time to write in his hand in Ancient Greek. Just so I could read it easier. The envelope had Perseus written on the front in the same language. It read:  
Dear Perseus,  
If you are reading this, then your mother and I are most likely gone from this world. We knew this might happen and we prepared for it just in case. We both want you to know that we are proud of you and we cherish you as our son. I may not understand as much as I should, but I do know that you are a great kid who can survive in this world with or without us. Even though I never got to spend much time with you, I think of you as my own child. I'm glad I got to spend some of my life with you and your mother. It may be the happiest I've ever been. Your mother wishes you to know that she will haunt you from the Underworld if she finds out you blame yourself for our deaths and I will personally find a way to come back to life to knock some sense into you, young man. If we were ever to be buried, we were to be buried somewhere in a graveyard near the apartment, so you could always find us. The document you will receive is our will. We love you so very much, my boy. Take care of yourself for our sakes and please remember us.  
Goodbye son,  
Paul and Sally I stare blankly at the letter and my hands are shaking slightly. I set the letter down and pick up the document that is supposed to be the will. It's in English and it's in the smallest print I have ever tried to read. My dyslexia gets in the way. I shake my head. "I can't read this. Can someone help me? It's in English."  
One mortal hunter, Crena, comes over and sits by me. She gently takes it out of my hands.  
She stares at it for about ten minutes, then puts it back in my hands. "Brother, they have left you everything. Including an apartment, all their life savings, and whatever possessions you all owned. It should be in a storage unit somewhere in upper Manhattan." Crena says slowly.  
I set the will down and put my head in my hands. "Oh gods...it's all my fault, but they told me it's not. Last year, Hades came to me and told me that they went straight to Elysium once he found them. But he had to get them out of Asphodel because of King Minos. He was put in the Fields of Punishment. I can't even tell them how sorry I am. Not even good-bye. I miss them too much. It wasn't their time to be ripped so cruelly out of this life." I say, not crying, but my voice is strained.  
Crena puts her hand on my back. "It'll be alright, Percy. I'm sure they don't hate you. If your mother is as kind as you tell us, then she would never hold a grudge and neither would Paul." She rubs my back. "May I read the letter to the others?" She asks.  
I nod my head and Crena reads the letter to everyone else. After a few moments silence, I speak.  
"Thank you all for the gifts. They mean everything to me. You have no idea how much you have done for me, an unpayable favor. I will never be able to get out of your debt. I would give anything for you to know that." I tell them and put my quivering hands on the table.  
"The golden one was from both Apollo and I. We thought it was time for you to have it. The girls wanted you to remember the best times we've had together so far and th book will add any memories as pictures and will grow to hold them all. We hope it will grow to become really big. The drawing supplies are from the younger girls, but I think they just enjoy what you make. Just add them to the scrapbook with the other pictures. Percy, you don't owe us a thing and it wasn't your fault." Artemis informs me.  
"Thank you." I whisper.  
"You're welcome. But I must bring upon you more sadness. I do not wish to go either, but Zeus says we need to train them. We leave for Camp Half-Blood at midday. The roman encampment will be there as well. Eat your breakfast and pack up." Artemis pats my shoulder.  
"Yes, my lady." I say and smile at her. It's a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless.  
After we eat, I tell the hunters to go relax and that I'll take care of packing up.  
Point of view: Artemis

put a hand on Thalia's shoulder and hold out my other arm to silence everyone else as Percy works on all the tents.  
"Leave him be. He is finally venting, no matter how small. Let him take his time and let his mind settle. He will be fine after working. It's how he is. He needs work to keep his mind off things while he focuses on the task at hand and one thing in hishead at a time. Let him grieve in peace and prepare for the journey ahead." I tell my girls.  
They all nod and whisper their agreement. The younger hunters sit and watch Percy with Thalia and Phoebe, while the others go off to practice their archery.  
~Hour Later~ Point of view: Perseus Jackson I finish packing up all the equipment and tents. I pack the little squares into my own bag. I heft the bags of the little hunters onto my back and bear the weight for them.  
"Thanks brother!" The little ones yell their gratitude and run around me giggling away like they should be able to.  
"My pleasure." I say and flip up my hood. We all gather around Artemis and she flashes us to camp a little early, since we had nothing else to do.  
The place I never wanted to come back to.  
The place that reminds me too much of her. Reminds me of my betrayal. 


	8. Chapter 8

oint of view: Perseus Jackson We land next to Thalia's Pine.  
"Oh, wonderful. How you doing tree? Nice to see you too old buddy, ole pal." We all laugh at Thalia's interaction with the tree. Thalia and I both pet Peleus on the head and he goes back to snoring away, like he hasn't a care in the world.  
"Race you all down the hill, little ones!" I say and they dart off down the hill. I give them a ten second head start and catch upto them with ease. I keppace with them and we all reach the bottom at the same time. They break out into an argument about who won before I have to settle it.  
"We all won, silly people. But the elder sisters lose!" I shout for them to hear me.  
"Yay!" They all cheer. In total there are about five of them. They are 7,7,8, and 9 in ages. They all tackle me. I fall over for their amusement with a loud thud, as they start trying to win in a fight with me.  
"You win, you win! I give up. I'm defeated." I chuckle as they giggle and shout their victory over their big brother.  
A throat clears and I find Derek standing over me.  
I gently remove the giggling hunters off of me and stand up, shuffling them behind me.  
"Would you mind telling me just who are you? Answer me!" Derek shrieks.  
The little hunters are still giggling hsterically behind me. "Will you five shut the Hades up, already?" Derek glares at them.  
I grab him by the throat and lift him off the ground, his feet dangling three feet in the air. "You will not speak to the honorable huntresses in that manner, boy." I toss him to the side. "C'mon sisters, lets rejoin the lady." The two eldest onestake my hands while the other ones take theirs.  
As we are walking to meet Artemis, Derek grabs Jade.  
Jade's yelp is what draws my attention. "C'mon you litle brat. What was so funny that you were being so rude to me, the leader of the camp?" He raises his fist to strike her.  
My eyes flash with anger and I smack his hand hand off Jade's arm and move my body in font of her's as his fist hits my chestand cracks. I turn to Jade.  
"Did he hurt you Jade?" I ask. I check her up and down.  
"My arm. Where he grabbed me." She says. I see the bruise on her left forearm. I touch it with Hestia's blessing glowing around my hand and it heals instantly in an orange, red, and golden light. I turn to Derek and advance on him.  
"If you even presume to even raise another hand to oone of my sisters, I will personally escort you to the Underworld! Your lifeless body and soul will be cast into the deepest pits of Hell itself! If you hurt one of them again, I will put your soul through eternal torment and cast you into Tartarus!" I say, turn around, and pick Jade up.  
I walk toward Artemis again, the other young ones already at her side, hugging her legs. Then Thalia shouts, "Moonlace! Behind you!" Before she can summon her bow and shoot it, I feel a cold sensation go through my stomach.  
I look down to see a dagger protruding from it and blood drizzles fom my mouth. I hand Jade to Phoebe and turn on my attacker, Derek.  
I laugh with malice and he cowers back in fear. "You think that little poke bothers me? You are a disgrace. You fight with no honor and harm little girls who have not called for your attention. You shouldn't be allowed to call yourself half mortal, let alone half god. Foolish child." I pull the dagger out and heal the wound easily. I spit the blood to the side and wipe my mouth off.  
I catch him by his hair before he can get away. "Brother?" Atalanta asks and comes forward. I turn to her and see a dangerous glint in her eyes.  
"Yes sister?" I ask.  
"May we have our fun with him? We never get to anymore, since you joined the Hunt." Thalia comes up to us and asks.  
I throw him at their feet. He wimpers and Phoebe sets Jade down. Phoebe, Lucy, Crena, and Joslyn, as well as a couple other older hunters, come forward. They all surround Derek and he whimpers again.  
"You're going to regret hurting our brother, boy." Lucy threatens.  
They drag him off, back over the hill. Five minutes later, distant screaming starts.  
~Three Hours Later~ The girls come back, hauling an unconscious, bloody, roadkill-similar Derek.  
"You haven't lost your touch I see, girls." I compliment them and grin.  
They all grin back widely. "Why thank you, Moonlace." Phoebe says.  
They know to call me Moonlace whilst I my hood is up, especially here.  
I chortle. "Shall I lead the hunters to the cabin my lady?" I turn to Artemis.  
"Yes, I need to tell Chiron of our arrival. See you at dinner." Artemis strides off towards the Big House.  
"Ok, so, 3...2...1...GO!" I yell and we all take off sprinting for our cabin.  
I make it there a few seconds before any one else and yell, "Victory!" I stand in front of the door and grp the handle behind my back. I twist it and wait for the right moment.  
"Oh yeah, Moonlace?" Phoebe cries.  
"Pretty much." I smile.  
All of them charge me and I stepaside as they lunge through the now open door. They land in the middle of the cabin in a huge heap and we stare at each other in silence for a few moments before I snort and we all start laughing hysterically.  
"I can't believe we fell for that!" Thalia says, giggling.  
"You are so dead, Moonlace." Atalanta laughs harder, tears coming out. Phoebe can hardly breathe and the little ones are tackling my legs. They pull my legs out from under me and I land on my butt. It just makes everyone laugh harder. Crena is holding her stomach and kicking her legs out. My tacklers run up and start trying to hug me to death. I tickle them and they have to move away before trying again.  
"Hey, I won and opened the door for my sisters. You're the ones who tried to jump me. I call it self defense." I chuckle and lie on the floor. The little hunters take the chance to sit on me. "Oof! Hey!"  
Everyone laughs even more loudly. "Fine. You win this time. Next time it won't be easy." Phoebe says, trying to stifle her giggle fits.  
"I accept your challenge, sister. I look forward to it." I laugh and she laughs with me.  
The conch horn sounds, it's amazing we even heard it. They all get in a groupbehind me. "Alright sisters, lets move out!" I motion forward and we head, sprinting, to the dining pavilion with whoops in the air.  
We file in and run to the table and sit down, enjoying our own little world. We sacrifice portions of our food to Artemis and our parents. Which means I have to sacrifice to all my patrons and my father. I inwardly sigh. I made up with Poseidon, so I'm alright with it, just uneasy around him.  
"That guy took a dagger through the gut and didn't even flinch." I hear someone whisper.  
"What is he?" Another whispers in reply.  
"Why is a guy with the Hunters of Artemis?" One camper asks quietly.  
"Obviously they want him. The little sluts." I slam my hands against the table.  
"Enough!" I raise my voice. "That guy has ears. If you have a problem with me, then have the gall to say it to my face. And ifany of you ever describe my sisters with that word again, I'll cut out your tongue and make you rue the day you were born. Got it? Now shut up and eat." I turn back to my food.  
I look up at Artemis, who is beaming at me with pride. I smile back at her. "Thank you, Moonlace."  
I nod and keep my smile. "No roblem, milady." The hunters all grin at me gratefully. I smile in return and we begin talking about whose turn it is to tell a story. Artemis, Thalia, Phoebe, or I usually tell them. "I'll do it again tonight, if you want."  
They all chatter their agreements at me. Chiron's hoof thuds against the stone floor.  
"Heroes! Listen up! We have the prestigious honor of housing the Hunters of Artemis, Lady Artemis herself, and the Guardian of the Hunt. You will treat them all with respect or suffer the consequences. We already have a painful example. Our annual Capture the Flag will be held tomorrow night in honor of the Hunters of Artemis." Chiroon announces.  
A weak cher comes from the campers as the Artemis table roars.  
"To the campfire!" Chiron yells.  
I sit in the middle of my sisters, beside Artemis at their persistence. They want me in the middle so in case I explode and the little ones always sit by Artemis and want to sit by me as well. I hold little Julie on my lap, while Jade sits on my shoulders. No one sits behind me. The rest of the little ones are at Artemis and I's feet.  
"Tonight we have karaoke and we already have two volunteers. First up is Katie Gardner and then we have Malcolm." Grover says when he comes up onstage.  
It was cool to hear a couple older songs. I haven't heard them since I was seven, when mom used to play them in her tape player. After they were done and Malcolm stepped offstage, Grover asks, "Any volunteers?"  
"Brother, will you please sing? Your voice is beautiful." Jade looks at me with a sparkle in her eyes.  
"Yeah, will you please sing, Moonlace? Please?" Joslyn begs.  
"C'mon bro. How much harm could it do? It might make them sleepy if you sing a quiet song." thalia says.  
"Alright, I'll do it for you guys. What song?" I ask them.  
"Evanescence! You sing it wonderfully!" Phoebe squeals, yes she did.  
"Yeah, do 'Bring Me To Life' or 'My Immortal.'" Atalanta tells me.  
"Okay, okay. I'll do the first one. Holy Zeus, you guys are insane. Lucy, will you tell them I'm singing?" I ask her and she runs up to Grover. She is so happy she's hopping up and down, while she tells Grover the information.  
Lucy walks up to the mike, "The Guardian of the Hunt wishes to sing."  
I rise from my place and my sisters let me through.  
"Then let him enchant us, dear one." Grover smiles at her.  
I walk slowly to the stage and over to the 'monster proof music box.' It's labeled that for some odd reason and I find the song I'm looking for. Lucy runs over and gives me a hug, then rejoins our sisters. I show the Apollo kid running the music system and give him the iPod connected to it. He nods his head in understanding.  
I walk up to the mike and wait for the Apollo kid. "Are you not going to remove your hood?" Grover asks.  
"I choose not to. I only sing because my sisters want me to." I reply and nod to the Apollo kid. He hits play.  
(The parentheses parts are sang by the people on the iPod, so that he doesn't have to do it. Because he is singing by himself.)  
I sing the words along with the music:  
How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?  
Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb.  
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold.  
Until you find it there and lead it back home.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside.  
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Now that I know what I'm without.  
You can't just leave me.  
Breathe into me and make me real.  
Bring me to life.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside. (I cant wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Bring me to life. (I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)  
Bring me to life.  
Frozen inside, without your touch.  
Without your love, darling.  
Only you are the life among the dead.  
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see.  
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me.  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems.  
Got to open my eyes to everything.  
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul.  
Don't let me die here.  
Bring me to life.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside. (I cant wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Bring me to life.  
Bring me to life.  
Everyone stares at me and after a few seconds, the Artemis section goes crazy. "Do it again, brother!" The hunters scream.  
"Nope. Ain't gonna happen. Once is enough for now." I walk back to my spot and sit down. I realize people are still staring at me. "What? Guys can sing. Look at Apollo and his sons." I say and continue to accpet compliments from my sisters. After we listen to about four other people, the crowd is dismissed.  
"Wait!" Chiron yells to get everyone's attention. "Come back, I must make an announcement." He tells us.  
Reluctantly, everybody comes back and sits down again.  
"Today is the day that Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase disappeared. Does anyone have any news on them?" Chiron asks.  
"You mean the gods haven't told you?" Artemis asks, shocked.  
"Told us what?" Grover asks, confused.  
"They found Perseus Jackson, seven months after he disappeared without a trace." I answer in a monotone.  
"What about Annabeth?" A camper asks.  
"She's the reason he'd been missing. She has been a traitor from the beginning." Artemis tells them, anger in her voice.  
"What?" Clarisse screams.  
"Yeah, she dragged Percy down to Tartarus and the gods agreed to let him roam the world until he finds his peace." Thalia says.  
"We have to send out a search party!" Grover exclaims excitedly.  
"He only surfaces once in a great while. We've come across him in our travels many times." Phobe adds.  
"Is he okay? When is the last time you saw him?" Travis asks.  
"I believe he is alright. He just kills monsters. We saw him yesterday. He hunts with us whenever he comes across us. The litle ones love it when he tells stories. And we've heard them all." Atalanta chimes in, saying the last sentance darkly.  
The campers shift uneasily.  
I chuckle at Atalanta's comment. "Yet he's under our noses all the time."  
The hunters all burst out with laughter.  
"What do you mean?" Chiron asks.  
"If you haven't noticed, the person you speak of has entered camp." I say slowly.  
"How can you tell?" Grover asks curiously and stares at my shadowed face as best he can without being able to see most of it.  
"Perks of being the Guardian of the Hunt and one of his closest friends." I smirk.  
"Where is he? In the camp I mean." Clarisse comes up to me.  
I look at Artemis and tilt my head, she nods hers in response. Permission granted. I take a deep breath and face Clarisse again. "Clarisse La Rue. I'm right in front of your eyes. I suggest you open them." I pull back my hood. "You want some toilet water with that?" I ask. 


	9. Chapter 9

Point of view: Perseus Jackson We land next to Thalia's Pine.  
"Oh, wonderful. How you doing tree? Nice to see you too old buddy, ole pal." We all laugh at Thalia's interaction with the tree. Thalia and I both pet Peleus on the head and he goes back to snoring away, like he hasn't a care in the world.  
"Race you all down the hill, little ones!" I say and they dart off down the hill. I give them a ten second head start and catch upto them with ease. I keppace with them and we all reach the bottom at the same time. They break out into an argument about who won before I have to settle it.  
"We all won, silly people. But the elder sisters lose!" I shout for them to hear me.  
"Yay!" They all cheer. In total there are about five of them. They are 7,7,8, and 9 in ages. They all tackle me. I fall over for their amusement with a loud thud, as they start trying to win in a fight with me.  
"You win, you win! I give up. I'm defeated." I chuckle as they giggle and shout their victory over their big brother.  
A throat clears and I find Derek standing over me.  
I gently remove the giggling hunters off of me and stand up, shuffling them behind me.  
"Would you mind telling me just who are you? Answer me!" Derek shrieks.  
The little hunters are still giggling hsterically behind me. "Will you five shut the Hades up, already?" Derek glares at them.  
I grab him by the throat and lift him off the ground, his feet dangling three feet in the air. "You will not speak to the honorable huntresses in that manner, boy." I toss him to the side. "C'mon sisters, lets rejoin the lady." The two eldest onestake my hands while the other ones take theirs.  
As we are walking to meet Artemis, Derek grabs Jade.  
Jade's yelp is what draws my attention. "C'mon you litle brat. What was so funny that you were being so rude to me, the leader of the camp?" He raises his fist to strike her.  
My eyes flash with anger and I smack his hand hand off Jade's arm and move my body in font of her's as his fist hits my chestand cracks. I turn to Jade.  
"Did he hurt you Jade?" I ask. I check her up and down.  
"My arm. Where he grabbed me." She says. I see the bruise on her left forearm. I touch it with Hestia's blessing glowing around my hand and it heals instantly in an orange, red, and golden light. I turn to Derek and advance on him.  
"If you even presume to even raise another hand to oone of my sisters, I will personally escort you to the Underworld! Your lifeless body and soul will be cast into the deepest pits of Hell itself! If you hurt one of them again, I will put your soul through eternal torment and cast you into Tartarus!" I say, turn around, and pick Jade up.  
I walk toward Artemis again, the other young ones already at her side, hugging her legs. Then Thalia shouts, "Moonlace! Behind you!" Before she can summon her bow and shoot it, I feel a cold sensation go through my stomach.  
I look down to see a dagger protruding from it and blood drizzles fom my mouth. I hand Jade to Phoebe and turn on my attacker, Derek.  
I laugh with malice and he cowers back in fear. "You think that little poke bothers me? You are a disgrace. You fight with no honor and harm little girls who have not called for your attention. You shouldn't be allowed to call yourself half mortal, let alone half god. Foolish child." I pull the dagger out and heal the wound easily. I spit the blood to the side and wipe my mouth off.  
I catch him by his hair before he can get away. "Brother?" Atalanta asks and comes forward. I turn to her and see a dangerous glint in her eyes.  
"Yes sister?" I ask.  
"May we have our fun with him? We never get to anymore, since you joined the Hunt." Thalia comes up to us and asks.  
I throw him at their feet. He wimpers and Phoebe sets Jade down. Phoebe, Lucy, Crena, and Joslyn, as well as a couple other older hunters, come forward. They all surround Derek and he whimpers again.  
"You're going to regret hurting our brother, boy." Lucy threatens.  
They drag him off, back over the hill. Five minutes later, distant screaming starts.  
~Three Hours Later~ The girls come back, hauling an unconscious, bloody, roadkill-similar Derek.  
"You haven't lost your touch I see, girls." I compliment them and grin.  
They all grin back widely. "Why thank you, Moonlace." Phoebe says.  
They know to call me Moonlace whilst I my hood is up, especially here.  
I chortle. "Shall I lead the hunters to the cabin my lady?" I turn to Artemis.  
"Yes, I need to tell Chiron of our arrival. See you at dinner." Artemis strides off towards the Big House.  
"Ok, so, 3...2...1...GO!" I yell and we all take off sprinting for our cabin.  
I make it there a few seconds before any one else and yell, "Victory!" I stand in front of the door and grp the handle behind my back. I twist it and wait for the right moment.  
"Oh yeah, Moonlace?" Phoebe cries.  
"Pretty much." I smile.  
All of them charge me and I stepaside as they lunge through the now open door. They land in the middle of the cabin in a huge heap and we stare at each other in silence for a few moments before I snort and we all start laughing hysterically.  
"I can't believe we fell for that!" Thalia says, giggling.  
"You are so dead, Moonlace." Atalanta laughs harder, tears coming out. Phoebe can hardly breathe and the little ones are tackling my legs. They pull my legs out from under me and I land on my butt. It just makes everyone laugh harder. Crena is holding her stomach and kicking her legs out. My tacklers run up and start trying to hug me to death. I tickle them and they have to move away before trying again.  
"Hey, I won and opened the door for my sisters. You're the ones who tried to jump me. I call it self defense." I chuckle and lie on the floor. The little hunters take the chance to sit on me. "Oof! Hey!"  
Everyone laughs even more loudly. "Fine. You win this time. Next time it won't be easy." Phoebe says, trying to stifle her giggle fits.  
"I accept your challenge, sister. I look forward to it." I laugh and she laughs with me.  
The conch horn sounds, it's amazing we even heard it. They all get in a groupbehind me. "Alright sisters, lets move out!" I motion forward and we head, sprinting, to the dining pavilion with whoops in the air.  
We file in and run to the table and sit down, enjoying our own little world. We sacrifice portions of our food to Artemis and our parents. Which means I have to sacrifice to all my patrons and my father. I inwardly sigh. I made up with Poseidon, so I'm alright with it, just uneasy around him.  
"That guy took a dagger through the gut and didn't even flinch." I hear someone whisper.  
"What is he?" Another whispers in reply.  
"Why is a guy with the Hunters of Artemis?" One camper asks quietly.  
"Obviously they want him. The little sluts." I slam my hands against the table.  
"Enough!" I raise my voice. "That guy has ears. If you have a problem with me, then have the gall to say it to my face. And ifany of you ever describe my sisters with that word again, I'll cut out your tongue and make you rue the day you were born. Got it? Now shut up and eat." I turn back to my food.  
I look up at Artemis, who is beaming at me with pride. I smile back at her. "Thank you, Moonlace."  
I nod and keep my smile. "No roblem, milady." The hunters all grin at me gratefully. I smile in return and we begin talking about whose turn it is to tell a story. Artemis, Thalia, Phoebe, or I usually tell them. "I'll do it again tonight, if you want."  
They all chatter their agreements at me. Chiron's hoof thuds against the stone floor.  
"Heroes! Listen up! We have the prestigious honor of housing the Hunters of Artemis, Lady Artemis herself, and the Guardian of the Hunt. You will treat them all with respect or suffer the consequences. We already have a painful example. Our annual Capture the Flag will be held tomorrow night in honor of the Hunters of Artemis." Chiroon announces.  
A weak cher comes from the campers as the Artemis table roars.  
"To the campfire!" Chiron yells.  
I sit in the middle of my sisters, beside Artemis at their persistence. They want me in the middle so in case I explode and the little ones always sit by Artemis and want to sit by me as well. I hold little Julie on my lap, while Jade sits on my shoulders. No one sits behind me. The rest of the little ones are at Artemis and I's feet.  
"Tonight we have karaoke and we already have two volunteers. First up is Katie Gardner and then we have Malcolm." Grover says when he comes up onstage.  
It was cool to hear a couple older songs. I haven't heard them since I was seven, when mom used to play them in her tape player. After they were done and Malcolm stepped offstage, Grover asks, "Any volunteers?"  
"Brother, will you please sing? Your voice is beautiful." Jade looks at me with a sparkle in her eyes.  
"Yeah, will you please sing, Moonlace? Please?" Joslyn begs.  
"C'mon bro. How much harm could it do? It might make them sleepy if you sing a quiet song." thalia says.  
"Alright, I'll do it for you guys. What song?" I ask them.  
"Evanescence! You sing it wonderfully!" Phoebe squeals, yes she did.  
"Yeah, do 'Bring Me To Life' or 'My Immortal.'" Atalanta tells me.  
"Okay, okay. I'll do the first one. Holy Zeus, you guys are insane. Lucy, will you tell them I'm singing?" I ask her and she runs up to Grover. She is so happy she's hopping up and down, while she tells Grover the information.  
Lucy walks up to the mike, "The Guardian of the Hunt wishes to sing."  
I rise from my place and my sisters let me through.  
"Then let him enchant us, dear one." Grover smiles at her.  
I walk slowly to the stage and over to the 'monster proof music box.' It's labeled that for some odd reason and I find the song I'm looking for. Lucy runs over and gives me a hug, then rejoins our sisters. I show the Apollo kid running the music system and give him the iPod connected to it. He nods his head in understanding.  
I walk up to the mike and wait for the Apollo kid. "Are you not going to remove your hood?" Grover asks.  
"I choose not to. I only sing because my sisters want me to." I reply and nod to the Apollo kid. He hits play.  
(The parentheses parts are sang by the people on the iPod, so that he doesn't have to do it. Because he is singing by himself.)  
I sing the words along with the music:  
How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?  
Leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb.  
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold.  
Until you find it there and lead it back home.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside.  
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Now that I know what I'm without.  
You can't just leave me.  
Breathe into me and make me real.  
Bring me to life.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside. (I cant wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Bring me to life. (I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside)  
Bring me to life.  
Frozen inside, without your touch.  
Without your love, darling.  
Only you are the life among the dead.  
All this time I can't believe I couldn't see.  
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me.  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems.  
Got to open my eyes to everything.  
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul.  
Don't let me die here.  
Bring me to life.  
(Wake me up) Wake me up inside. (I cant wake up) Wake me up inside.  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark.  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run.  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone.  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become.  
Bring me to life.  
Bring me to life.  
Everyone stares at me and after a few seconds, the Artemis section goes crazy. "Do it again, brother!" The hunters scream.  
"Nope. Ain't gonna happen. Once is enough for now." I walk back to my spot and sit down. I realize people are still staring at me. "What? Guys can sing. Look at Apollo and his sons." I say and continue to accpet compliments from my sisters. After we listen to about four other people, the crowd is dismissed.  
"Wait!" Chiron yells to get everyone's attention. "Come back, I must make an announcement." He tells us.  
Reluctantly, everybody comes back and sits down again.  
"Today is the day that Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase disappeared. Does anyone have any news on them?" Chiron asks.  
"You mean the gods haven't told you?" Artemis asks, shocked.  
"Told us what?" Grover asks, confused.  
"They found Perseus Jackson, seven months after he disappeared without a trace." I answer in a monotone.  
"What about Annabeth?" A camper asks.  
"She's the reason he'd been missing. She has been a traitor from the beginning." Artemis tells them, anger in her voice.  
"What?" Clarisse screams.  
"Yeah, she dragged Percy down to Tartarus and the gods agreed to let him roam the world until he finds his peace." Thalia says.  
"We have to send out a search party!" Grover exclaims excitedly.  
"He only surfaces once in a great while. We've come across him in our travels many times." Phobe adds.  
"Is he okay? When is the last time you saw him?" Travis asks.  
"I believe he is alright. He just kills monsters. We saw him yesterday. He hunts with us whenever he comes across us. The litle ones love it when he tells stories. And we've heard them all." Atalanta chimes in, saying the last sentance darkly.  
The campers shift uneasily.  
I chuckle at Atalanta's comment. "Yet he's under our noses all the time."  
The hunters all burst out with laughter.  
"What do you mean?" Chiron asks.  
"If you haven't noticed, the person you speak of has entered camp." I say slowly.  
"How can you tell?" Grover asks curiously and stares at my shadowed face as best he can without being able to see most of it.  
"Perks of being the Guardian of the Hunt and one of his closest friends." I smirk.  
"Where is he? In the camp I mean." Clarisse comes up to me.  
I look at Artemis and tilt my head, she nods hers in response. Permission granted. I take a deep breath and face Clarisse again. "Clarisse La Rue. I'm right in front of your eyes. I suggest you open them." I pull back my hood. "You want some toilet water with that?" I ask. 


	10. Chapter 10

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "You idiot!" Clarisse climbs up into the stands and slaps me, hard. She put all her might into that one, my jaw dislocated onimpact. I move my jaw around and it sets back in place. "You had us worried to death!" She seethes.  
"I highly doubt that with the way things were when I was left with her." I say, staring into Clarisse's eyes.  
"We are so sorry, Percy. We shouldn't have listened to that kid." Travis says.  
"Save it. The person you speak of is neither living nor dead. He is in between." I reply with an even tone.  
"What does that mean?" Connor asks.  
"The Percy you know is being rebuilt. The man you see in front of you is but a fraction of who he once was. He holds no love in his cold heart." Artemis speaks.  
"I hold love for my patrons, sisters, and mistress, my lady. But that is all." I say and look at her.  
"What happened to you?" Clarisse asks.  
"Hmm...I could show you. The hunters have seen. I have pledged my life to the Hunt." I answer thoughtfully.  
"What was your oath, Perseus." Chiron asks.  
"I'm sorry, I thought I was a 'horrible student,' as you so kindly put it, centaur." I reply coldly.  
He looks taken aback, but quickly recovers. "I'm sorry, my boy. I-" I cut himm off.  
"I am not your boy. You lost the right to call me that when you shunned me. I only return at Zeus's orders and for my family in the Hunt. And I am no boy, I long ago lost all childish acts when I was taken to the depths." I tell him flatly.  
"What was your oath?" Clarisse asks shyly.  
"I swore on the River Styx to forever protect the Hunt and Lady Arttemis at the extent of my own life if the need should arise. I also swore off the company of women forever on the same river. I no longer feel that way towards any woman. I am a brother, afriend, and a companion. Nothing more." I tell her.  
Everyone from camp gasps. "What happened to make you like this?" Katie Gardner asks me.  
"Didn't you hear Thalia? Annabeth Chase dragged me down to Tartarus that day. And kept me down there for a very long time. Only then did Athena come for me and saved a man who was already dead." I say with no emotion.  
"You died?" Clarisse chokes on her words.  
"On the inside yes, but on the outside I was lucky after all that came to be my being to have survived at all. It was quite a spectacle to see myself when I showed the hunters. Shall I show you? You might want to only let the counselors see though. Gruesome, I tell ya." I tell her.  
"Why didn't you come back?" Clarisse asks.  
"Because no one wanted me. Disowned by my own father. My family was murdered. And I joined my sisters. Did you forget again, Clarisse? I was kicked out of campby Chiron. I was not welcome here and I didn't want to return after you all listened to that idiot and his lies. Every word that comes from between his lips is a lie. I killed the hellhound. I didn't destroy anything. I was loyal to you, even down there. But, only one person and one god cared enough to look for my sorry self. As far as I am concerned, you cut me out of your lives for Derek. Which doesn't bother me because I have my sisters and mothers and patrons. I enjoy my time with them. They are there for me. I am Son of Hera, Son of Hestia, Son of Zeus, reclaimed Son of Poseidon, Champion of Athena, Champion of Hestia, blessed by Hestia, Hera, Aphrodite, Zeus, Athena, Ares, Artemis,Guardian of the Hunt, Savior of Olympus twice and I am a brother to the Hunt." I explained simply.  
Clarisse shakes her head. "We were stupid. Sally and Paul? Sisters? Zeus? Hera?" Clarisse sits down in front of me.  
"I didn't belong here anymore. Yes, my parents are dead. My sisters are the Hunt. Yes, I am adopted by Zeus, Hera, and Hestia/ Poseidon did reclaim me, whether I wanted him to or not. Lady Artemis herself appointed me Guardian. I know nothing outside of the Hunt at all now. I visit my mothers and fathers when we are not hunting. Otherwose, I stand guard over my family. I turned 20 or 305 yesterday. I was immortalized at 17 or 302 like the hunters when I came before the gods to die. Questions?" I cock my head to the side.  
"How long were you down there?" Clarisse asks. By this time, everyone had come closer to hear easier.  
"In Earth time or Tartarus time?" I reply.  
"Both." Travis decides.  
"Seven months in Earth time and near three centuries in Tartarus time." I answer.  
"What did they do?" Katie asks next.  
"They tortured me." I tell her without hesitation. She pales drastically.  
"Who is they?" Connor continues the onslaught of questions.  
"Every monster who stopped by my cave did whatever they wished. But mostly it was Annabeth and Polybotes. I imagine they enjoyed my pain immensely from the grins they wore. I believe that they just wanted revenge for the wars and liked their fun and games." I answer.  
"How did you survive?" Clarisse asks.  
"1: They loved their source of entertainment. 2: They wanted me to be their champion. 3: I never gave in, so they punished me." I tell them.  
"Your fatal flaw." Clarisse breathes.  
"Indeed. And yet you thought I betrayed you. Please. Yeah, my fatal flaw broke when you all and Annabeth betrayed me. But it prevented me from doing you the same courtesy, so I pleaded with the gods to kill me. Eventually I would've died down there because nothing they did would make me betray the ones I love. So I went to the gods to die in case it finally got to me. Theyrefused, gave me a new purpose, and I love my new family. I absolutely loathe my old one, but I would still do anything for you. If you prove to me that you won't betray someone so close to you again, then maybe I'll gorgive you. There is always a price to pay and I payed dearly for trusting you so completely. I won't make that mistake again. I'll show you tomorrow what they did to me. Good night." I say and lead the hunters to their cabin with Artemis.  
"You're a forgiving man, Percy. Deep down, you've already forgiven them all. You just can't wrap your head around it." Artemis pats my back.  
"That may be, my lady, but do you blame me?" I ask her.  
"No, I do not." The hunters file into the cabin. Artemis stops in the doorway. "You can come in you know." She raises an eyebrow.  
"I'll keep watch tonight, my lady." I say and bow to her. I turn and stand in front of the door, looking out over the camp. All the campers are returning to their cabins and some of them are crying.  
"You are sleeping and that is final. You've kept watch for the past three days. Rest and watch tomorrow." She grabs my hand and pulls me into the cabin.  
"My lady, I do not wish to intrude upon you." I say, trying and failing to pull my hand free. I do not want to hurt her hand.  
"Nonsense. There is already a bed for you." Artemis says and points toan empty bed at the front of the cabin. Nearest to the door.  
"Are you guys sure? I don't want to have my presence bother you. I can sleep outside or watch the cabin." I offer.  
"Nope. You're in here with us." Phoebe states.  
"Alright. I'll change in the bathroom while you get ready. Just knock on the door when you're done." I walk into the bathroom. That's the nice thing about this cabin. It's the only one with its own bathroom, so no one tries to peek in on the hunters while they do business and no camper dies in the process.  
I close the door behind me and summon clothes with the blessing of Aphrodite. I slip my shirt off and stopwhile I read the words, marking me as hers. I put my hand over them. I hate those words, I hate her. I turn and look at all the brands burned into my back in the full-body mirror. 'P' for Polybotes, another one for Porphyrion, 'K' for Kronos, 'A' for Annabeth, 'G' for Gaea, 'T' for Tartarus, and so on for each Titan and Giant, not to mention all the evil monsters who liked the idea. My back was just an incomplete alphabet. I lean back against the door and slide down until I am sitting on the floor. I lay my head back against the door. I look over my skin. All scratched up and marked. Some scars have disappeared, but a majority of them are still there. On the in side of my left arm is the word 'BROKEN' and on the inside of my right arm was 'HERO.' They have faded, but you can see them if you look for a few seconds. I always wear long sleeves, no matter the weather. The hunters have seen the entire thing, so they know what I hide under my clothes. Though, I have a sneaking suspicion that they watch me to see how they are healing. Like when Apollo made me show him most of my scars, when the hunters should have been hunting, sometimes they were watching. My legs were burned worse than my arms. LAter, Apollo told me I had words on my back in English instead of Ancient Greek. He didn't understand what it meant until I had him read it to me. He phrased it like a question, "Seaweed Brain?" I almost blew up the camp with Hestia's blessing. It looked cool because my body was glowing, but the scars looked menacing. Even Hestia helps to heal me when I visit her. She's the reason my lungs are working better than before and why most of my scars are gone on my legs.  
A knock came on the door. "Percy, are you okay?" Thalia asks after a few minutes.  
Point of view: Artemis Percy isn't answering. He is probably looking at his scars. I caught him doing it once when I came into his tent without knocking. He didn't even blush at his bare skin, he just went into the bathroom and changed. When he came back out, he asked what I required and if something was wrong because my skin was red just looking at him. I waved it off and told him to pack up.  
He's probably lost in his own world. I walk up to the door and knock again, gently. "Percy? Are you alright?" I ask through the door.  
"Yes, just making sure you're all ready." He says, but he's lying. His voice is straining to reassure us. He comes out in a black, long-sleeve sweater and black sweatpants. Then his sweater changes into a silver t-shirt. His pants stay the same.  
Shock registers on his face, then anger. "Aphrodite! Stop changing what I wear!" He yells at the ceiling, but it's too late. I can see his arms, what he was trying to hide.  
I grab them and I see closer what he's kept from everybody's sight. "I thought these went away." I say looking at the two words on his arms.  
He just looks down and away at the floor. "No, they won't fade all the way. She wouldn't allow ie, for me to forget. There is a spell over them and only she can take it off."  
I am still holding his arms, which were shaking violently and he isn't pulling away because he doesn't want to offend me.  
"Look at me Percy." I say gently.  
His beautiful sea green eyes bore into my silver ones. His arms aren;t shaking as much. He won't hurt me. "You don't need to be ashamed of them." I say in a soft tone of voice.  
"But they point out who I am. They speak the truth." He whispers and looks down at his scars.  
"No, you're not broken. You may be a hero, but you're the best one and your heart is pure. You always make the right decision in an impossible situation. Percy, you didn't kill your loved ones, it's not your fault." I say.  
There it is again, that lone tear, but this time, it's accompanied by more and more until it becomes a staedy downpour. I pull him in for a hug. He is quiet about it, but he's shaking with so much emotion he falls to the floor when his knees buckle. I fallwith him so I can comfort him. After about an hour of attempting to keep it at bay, the real tears come. He's weeping, he's finally letting it all out. My shirt front is soaked with his salty tears and he starts hugging me back.  
"It's all my fault. They're dead. I still get them. I'm sorry I lied to you, my lady. I didn't want you to worry over someone like me. I'm sorry." He kept apologizing and after four hours, his voice went hoarse, he coudn't even make a sound and he still mouthed the words and crying his heart out into my chest. Sobbing racks his body, when all of a sudden, the trembling man in my arms stops shuddering with sorrow and slumps forward, breathing heavily. He fell asleep on me. I smile and rub his back.  
"My lady, I think he might be beginning to really mend." Thalia whispers and takes Percy off of me. Phoebe and Atalanta help her put him on his bed. "No nightmares tonight, Kelp Head. Sweet dreams." She places her hand on his forehead and sighs. "He worries me to death, milady. The fool is aging me further than I should be." Thalia admits to me.  
"He worries us all. He needs to keep venting until he rarely ever hurts." I say.  
"I don't think he could ever forget anything like that. He might be able to cope though." Thalia says.  
"Not to mention that the witch hasn't been sighted since he was missing." Phobe adds, hissing.  
"Our brother is strong. He is over his fears and is only living for us. We must get stronger so he doesn't worry about us as much." Atalanta chimes in.  
"Well, he's great at swordplay. Maybe he could teach us a few techniques and everything he knows. He doesn't get a single scratch in battle. Hasn't since he joined us." I tell them.  
"Well, except for when he took that spear in his right shoulder for me." Joslyn recounts her memory.  
"Or the dagger in the side for my sake." Crena puts in.  
"Good and valid points." I say. "He won't let any one of us get hurt. Keeps an eye on us."  
"Just like a big brother should." Phoebe says.  
"Lets get some sleep." Thalia says.  
We all settle in for the night, Thalia kisses his forehead and the lights go out. For the first time, in a long time, I dream peacefully, without having to worry about my Guardian. 


	11. Chapter 11

Point of view: Perseus Jackson Three arrows twang from my bow and thud into three separate bullseyes at the same time.  
"Still think he's a terrible archer?" Artemis asks. "My Guardian is a master archer. Do not insult my choice of a protector. Think before you speak, boy."  
"Forgive me, Lady Artemis." Malcolm begs.  
"This time. Next time you will feel my wrath. Were you not watching him in the image or were you too busy being terrified?"Artemis replies.  
"What image?" A camper asks.  
"My time down in Tartarus, child." I answer for Artemis.  
"Oh, sorry." The camper says.  
"It is fine." I wave it off. "Whoever is going to improve their skill in archery, stay here with Phoebe. Touch my sister and you as she says. The rest of you are with me." I order them.  
The entire Apollo cabin stays with Phoebe. Along with a few Hermes kids, a couple Hecate and Demeter campers, surprisingly a lot of Romans, some Athena children, the whole Iris cabin, and a select few from all the other cabins.  
Hazel, Frank, and Reyna are on sentry duty at the border. I lead the remaining campers up to the Arena and when they all file in I speculate how I want to proceed. "Those who wish to learn in the ways of the sword stand over there, those who wish tobetter themselves in the spear to my right, and those who wish to learn something else stay where you are." I tell them. Most go to the sword area, the Hunters but a few go to the spear spot to my right, and there are ten people remaining in front of me who want to learn a different skill set. "Pick your weapon that suits you if you don't have it with you already."  
I walk over to the people who want to learn more with a sword. I realize that I know all of them and they look at me expectantly. "Take your stance." I show them the basics all over again and make them repeat the drill over and over. I walk back and forthbetween the three stations. The hunters rogress faster because they are more eager to learn. The campers are uneasy around me and tend to stress under my teachings. Nonetheless, they all improve in what they chose to work on. The 'specialgroup' of ten has two dual wielders for swords, a trident, a dual wielder for daggers, three sword and shield, one axe user, and the last two are a sword and a dagger, wielded together.  
Artemis seems to enjoy learning how to use a spear with the majority of her hunters. She picks it up the easiest. After a few hours, Phoebe leads the people who stayed behind for bows, into the Arena.  
"Time to switch?" Phoebe asks.  
I nod. "Water break! Thalia, take over archery for Phoebe. Those who wish to return or start at archery will follow Thalia when ready. Those who just came from archery gather round." I announce and wait for the archery class to get their drinks and come to stand in front of me. "Which style of fighting do each of you wish to learn?" I ask.  
Frank and Hazel come in and ask if they can train for the remainder of the day. "Very well. Reyna?" I ask.  
"Said she wanted to think by herself and that she was too wired to have people around her at the moment. She insisted on watching alone." Hazel answers.  
"Alright then. Skill set of choice for the class?" I look at them.  
"Bow." Frank answers.  
"Go with Thalia. Hazel?" I say.  
"I want to learn how to use a dagger for shortened reach purposes." She replies. I nod in answer.  
So it is the same as last time, just with three people in the 'special group.' Hazel with a dagger, another camper with a sword and shield, and a Roman who wishes to learn how to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Interesting. I'll be focusing on him the most then. He needs to have a physical presence to try to hit him. The hunters stay in their groups except for the ones that switched to spear from the 'speial group' and the ones who switched from spear to sword. Artemis stays in spear.  
When the conch horn blows, my class has progressed to the level of the last one and some more than them because they stayed. I still spar with the Roman who wanted to fight with his hands. The others head down to the pavilion for dinner. I catch his fist, "Break time, kid. Lets go eat." I say and we walk into the pavilion.  
He turns to me before I sit down. "Thank you, Percy, right? I feel better now that I can defend myself without a weapon. I usually use a sword and I end up losing it or getting disarmed all the time." He holds out his hand. I look at it then decide he's never done anything to me because of the one bar on his tattoo for one year of service, I grip his arm.  
"No problem kid. Enjoy your food. Word to the wise. In the game tonight, be aware of everything around you or you might regret it. You'll see what I mean when most of the boys fall over." I tell him and sit by Thalia after sacrificing some of my food.  
"That was really fun Percy. How did you manage to make it that way?" Phoebe asks, she's jumping in her seat with excitement.  
"I know what most people like and suited it to their learning process so everyone would prgress at much the same rate. If I didn't know you, I would analyze you as an individual a tweek my curiculum based on what was wrong with whatever weapon you chose to use." I answer her.  
"Okay, get out of teacher mode brother." Thalia punches my arm playfully.  
I chuckle. "I won't be out of it for awhile. At least not until after the game. We are so going to win, but I want to see how everbody does in whatever weapon they are using tonight. You guys using your new skills or going with marksman?" I ask, looking at my sisters.  
"We will start out with our bows, then if we get the chance we will use our other weapons." Artemis states.  
"Are you participating, my lady?" I ask Artemis.  
"No. I wish to watch you all in action. I want to see how great you guys are after three years of not playing this game of theirs." Artemis replies.  
"Okay." I nod. "What's the plan?"  
"You get the flag of the Romans and I get the Greeks. The rest of our sisters defend and snipe. Basic plan for this game. It's all we'll need." Thalia says.  
"Sounds good. Where is our flag?" I ask.  
"Atalanta is getting it. Two others went to get their camp's respective flag." Joslyn tells me.  
Then, Reyna comes running upto me, out of breath. "Hill...monsters...Nico. Help." She gets out and points at Half-Blood Hill. I see bones flying up into the air and their bright white color against the setting sky.  
My eyes widen. I will keep my promise. I take off at full speed with the rest of the camp and Hunters tailing behind me. I reachthe crest of the hill and see Nico di Angelo surrounded by monsters, his skeleton army falling left and right. I rush into action and become a catastrophic forc of pure death. I see a monster sneak up behind Nico and I'm blocking it in a flash of celestial bronze. Sword versus trident.  
Nico turns, surprise clear in the features of his face. "Watch your back, Death Breath." I say and kill the sneaking monster.  
"Percy?!" Nico exclaims and cuts down a few monsters.  
"Do I look like anyone else?" I ask, false hurt in my voice.  
"Explain." He demands and slashes at another monster. Why such a big group?  
"All in due time." I tell him and mow down the last of the monsters. "For now, get within camp borders." I say and nudge him towards camp.  
Once in, he whirls around and stops me abruptly. "Tell me. Now." He's putting his foot down, eh? Good for him.  
"I see you've grown." Is all I reply with and smile at him.  
"Stop avoiding the subject." Nico says seriously.  
"I only commented on your growth rate, no need to be hasty. C'mon, before you get too feisty. I shall explain. I'll be in the game, don't worry milady!" I call to Artemis, who is already back into the pavilion. She waves her arm to know she heard.  
"Where are we going?" Nico asks suspiciously.  
"Would you relax? The Big House." i answer and haul him to the living room inside the place.  
I tell him everything. Down to the last detail. He listens intently and pales further every seond until I tell him anout my new life in the Hunt.  
"So, you joined the group my sister did? Is it nice?" Nico asks.  
"Very. They are wonderful people and treat me like one of their own. I thrive in the Hunt, like I was meant to be in it. I really wish your sister was here to share in the enjoyment. Zoe too." I sigh. "I would give anything to restore their lives to them."  
"Glad to hear you say that, Perce. I don't think I can be mad at you over your disappearance. I should be arguing with Thalia as to why she hasn't told me." Nico smiles.  
"The Hunt cut off almost all ties unless we are called upon. They did it for me, even though I told them not to. The only visitors we ever get are Apollo, Hera, and Hestia. Now I must train these kids." I say.  
"I guess I'm not older than you now." Nico chuckles.  
"You are in a sense. Different era, Nico. You are old-fashioned, whereas I'm just tired old." I say and rest my arm on the back of the couch.  
"I know what you mean. But why didn't you contact me? I was concerned, Perce." Nico tells me with a worried look set upon his face.  
"Apollo was working with my "PTSD"." I put air quotes around the healthe term. "I wasn't allowed to trigger my past a whole lot. I asked hades about you when I got back, I thought he woud tell you." I shrug.  
"I'll talk with him later then. I understand. Do you feel any better? I figure you're tired of that question, but humor me. I haven't seen you in three years." Nico reminds me.  
"Yeah. I feel great. The Hunt loves me and I them." I tell him.  
"Percy. That's not what I asked. Your aura is...wavering uncontrollably with emotions." Nico tells me.  
"Hold out your arm, Nico." I whisper.  
He looks at me questioningly, but does as I ask. I lean forward and clasp my hand onto his arm and he grips mine in return.  
"I'm going to let you feel what I do. I will use Hestia and Hera's blesings. Brace yourself. You will not like my swirling emotions." A white glow emits from my hand and different colors surround Nico. After a few minutes, I let go and he lets his arm fall.  
"That was...weird. So you're joyous, yet upset. Angry and strained. But you are excited and nervous. That is just messed up. Why are you so mixed?" Nico wonders.  
"Because I'm at camp, yet I'm here with my sisters. The better emotions extends towards you and them. The others just sit there and simmer because I'm back in this place. I do not like the constant flood of memories pouring into my head every time I look at the tiniest detail or a familiar person in general." I explain.  
"So I see. What game? Capture the Flag?" Nico asks, leaning back into the couch like I am.  
"Yeah." I answer.  
"I'm abstaining, I will not fight against you with those idiots." Nico states.  
"How much taller are you?" I ask out of curiosity, it finally got to me. He looks to be about, well a lot taller, more muscular, he's a little less pale, tired-looking, and seemingly happy in my presence. He looks like what I do, but with the characteristics of Hades and his hair is in much the same state as the last time I saw him.  
"I don't know. I hardly notice. I'm like seventeen now or would it be like eighty-four? My best guess is over a foot." Nico shrugs.  
"You don't remember how old you are?" I ask in disbelief.  
"I was frantic in my search for you. I lost count. It felt like forever, plus the constant demands of my father screw with my brain. I get so confused sometimes. It's been hetic without you Percy. At least you helped me when I needed it." Nico says.  
"Yes, well I consider you my little brother and I promised Bianca. Not to mention you're about the only friend I have outside the Hunt. Anything I should know?" I tell him.  
"Well, if it means anything to you, Hazel and Frank are livid with everbody from the Greek encampment. All the Romans are. And Reyna is right up there with them." Nico informs me.  
"So I noticed. It's why I don't speak to them like I do the others." I say.  
"Good. Hazel helped me for the first year, but then Reyna called her back to be like her lieutenant. So her attention was demanded elsewhere. Frank would've helped, but he is the other praetor. His duties were scattered over the country trying to find Roman demigods and quests and everything. I tend to spend my free time with those three at New Rome rather than here. Reyna was on a rampage fpr months trying to find you after she almost killed Jason. Piper got her to stop after receiving a black eye. I help the Romans with tasks now and then. It's why I have one year of service." He shows me his tatto with one mark and the symbol of Pluto on his skin.  
"Sounds like paradise for you, other than the searching for me part. Yep. Been with the Hunt since I got back." I say.  
"Yeah. We need to hang out now that I know you're safe. I'm sorry about your parents Percy. My dad told me and I myself dug into Minos and tore him apart. I can deliver a message to them if you want." Nico offers.  
I perk up at this. "Really?"  
Nico smiles. "Yes. You can even write it down so I won't forget anything." He says.  
I hug him. "Thank you!" He hugs back.  
"No problem, Percy." Nico pats my back.  
I pull away and the conch horn signalling the game is about to start goes off. "That means I got to go. I must help my sisters. Maybe Artemis will let you side with us this once. Come on!" I drag him out of the Big House. 


	12. Chapter 12

Point of view: Perseus Jackson Three arrows twang from my bow and thud into three separate bullseyes at the same time.  
"Still think he's a terrible archer?" Artemis asks. "My Guardian is a master archer. Do not insult my choice of a protector. Think before you speak, boy."  
"Forgive me, Lady Artemis." Malcolm begs.  
"This time. Next time you will feel my wrath. Were you not watching him in the image or were you too busy being terrified?"Artemis replies.  
"What image?" A camper asks.  
"My time down in Tartarus, child." I answer for Artemis.  
"Oh, sorry." The camper says.  
"It is fine." I wave it off. "Whoever is going to improve their skill in archery, stay here with Phoebe. Touch my sister and you as she says. The rest of you are with me." I order them.  
The entire Apollo cabin stays with Phoebe. Along with a few Hermes kids, a couple Hecate and Demeter campers, surprisingly a lot of Romans, some Athena children, the whole Iris cabin, and a select few from all the other cabins.  
Hazel, Frank, and Reyna are on sentry duty at the border. I lead the remaining campers up to the Arena and when they all file in I speculate how I want to proceed. "Those who wish to learn in the ways of the sword stand over there, those who wish tobetter themselves in the spear to my right, and those who wish to learn something else stay where you are." I tell them. Most go to the sword area, the Hunters but a few go to the spear spot to my right, and there are ten people remaining in front of me who want to learn a different skill set. "Pick your weapon that suits you if you don't have it with you already."  
I walk over to the people who want to learn more with a sword. I realize that I know all of them and they look at me expectantly. "Take your stance." I show them the basics all over again and make them repeat the drill over and over. I walk back and forthbetween the three stations. The hunters rogress faster because they are more eager to learn. The campers are uneasy around me and tend to stress under my teachings. Nonetheless, they all improve in what they chose to work on. The 'specialgroup' of ten has two dual wielders for swords, a trident, a dual wielder for daggers, three sword and shield, one axe user, and the last two are a sword and a dagger, wielded together.  
Artemis seems to enjoy learning how to use a spear with the majority of her hunters. She picks it up the easiest. After a few hours, Phoebe leads the people who stayed behind for bows, into the Arena.  
"Time to switch?" Phoebe asks.  
I nod. "Water break! Thalia, take over archery for Phoebe. Those who wish to return or start at archery will follow Thalia when ready. Those who just came from archery gather round." I announce and wait for the archery class to get their drinks and come to stand in front of me. "Which style of fighting do each of you wish to learn?" I ask.  
Frank and Hazel come in and ask if they can train for the remainder of the day. "Very well. Reyna?" I ask.  
"Said she wanted to think by herself and that she was too wired to have people around her at the moment. She insisted on watching alone." Hazel answers.  
"Alright then. Skill set of choice for the class?" I look at them.  
"Bow." Frank answers.  
"Go with Thalia. Hazel?" I say.  
"I want to learn how to use a dagger for shortened reach purposes." She replies. I nod in answer.  
So it is the same as last time, just with three people in the 'special group.' Hazel with a dagger, another camper with a sword and shield, and a Roman who wishes to learn how to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Interesting. I'll be focusing on him the most then. He needs to have a physical presence to try to hit him. The hunters stay in their groups except for the ones that switched to spear from the 'speial group' and the ones who switched from spear to sword. Artemis stays in spear.  
When the conch horn blows, my class has progressed to the level of the last one and some more than them because they stayed. I still spar with the Roman who wanted to fight with his hands. The others head down to the pavilion for dinner. I catch his fist, "Break time, kid. Lets go eat." I say and we walk into the pavilion.  
He turns to me before I sit down. "Thank you, Percy, right? I feel better now that I can defend myself without a weapon. I usually use a sword and I end up losing it or getting disarmed all the time." He holds out his hand. I look at it then decide he's never done anything to me because of the one bar on his tattoo for one year of service, I grip his arm.  
"No problem kid. Enjoy your food. Word to the wise. In the game tonight, be aware of everything around you or you might regret it. You'll see what I mean when most of the boys fall over." I tell him and sit by Thalia after sacrificing some of my food.  
"That was really fun Percy. How did you manage to make it that way?" Phoebe asks, she's jumping in her seat with excitement.  
"I know what most people like and suited it to their learning process so everyone would prgress at much the same rate. If I didn't know you, I would analyze you as an individual a tweek my curiculum based on what was wrong with whatever weapon you chose to use." I answer her.  
"Okay, get out of teacher mode brother." Thalia punches my arm playfully.  
I chuckle. "I won't be out of it for awhile. At least not until after the game. We are so going to win, but I want to see how everbody does in whatever weapon they are using tonight. You guys using your new skills or going with marksman?" I ask, looking at my sisters.  
"We will start out with our bows, then if we get the chance we will use our other weapons." Artemis states.  
"Are you participating, my lady?" I ask Artemis.  
"No. I wish to watch you all in action. I want to see how great you guys are after three years of not playing this game of theirs." Artemis replies.  
"Okay." I nod. "What's the plan?"  
"You get the flag of the Romans and I get the Greeks. The rest of our sisters defend and snipe. Basic plan for this game. It's all we'll need." Thalia says.  
"Sounds good. Where is our flag?" I ask.  
"Atalanta is getting it. Two others went to get their camp's respective flag." Joslyn tells me.  
Then, Reyna comes running upto me, out of breath. "Hill...monsters...Nico. Help." She gets out and points at Half-Blood Hill. I see bones flying up into the air and their bright white color against the setting sky.  
My eyes widen. I will keep my promise. I take off at full speed with the rest of the camp and Hunters tailing behind me. I reachthe crest of the hill and see Nico di Angelo surrounded by monsters, his skeleton army falling left and right. I rush into action and become a catastrophic forc of pure death. I see a monster sneak up behind Nico and I'm blocking it in a flash of celestial bronze. Sword versus trident.  
Nico turns, surprise clear in the features of his face. "Watch your back, Death Breath." I say and kill the sneaking monster.  
"Percy?!" Nico exclaims and cuts down a few monsters.  
"Do I look like anyone else?" I ask, false hurt in my voice.  
"Explain." He demands and slashes at another monster. Why such a big group?  
"All in due time." I tell him and mow down the last of the monsters. "For now, get within camp borders." I say and nudge him towards camp.  
Once in, he whirls around and stops me abruptly. "Tell me. Now." He's putting his foot down, eh? Good for him.  
"I see you've grown." Is all I reply with and smile at him.  
"Stop avoiding the subject." Nico says seriously.  
"I only commented on your growth rate, no need to be hasty. C'mon, before you get too feisty. I shall explain. I'll be in the game, don't worry milady!" I call to Artemis, who is already back into the pavilion. She waves her arm to know she heard.  
"Where are we going?" Nico asks suspiciously.  
"Would you relax? The Big House." i answer and haul him to the living room inside the place.  
I tell him everything. Down to the last detail. He listens intently and pales further every seond until I tell him anout my new life in the Hunt.  
"So, you joined the group my sister did? Is it nice?" Nico asks.  
"Very. They are wonderful people and treat me like one of their own. I thrive in the Hunt, like I was meant to be in it. I really wish your sister was here to share in the enjoyment. Zoe too." I sigh. "I would give anything to restore their lives to them."  
"Glad to hear you say that, Perce. I don't think I can be mad at you over your disappearance. I should be arguing with Thalia as to why she hasn't told me." Nico smiles.  
"The Hunt cut off almost all ties unless we are called upon. They did it for me, even though I told them not to. The only visitors we ever get are Apollo, Hera, and Hestia. Now I must train these kids." I say.  
"I guess I'm not older than you now." Nico chuckles.  
"You are in a sense. Different era, Nico. You are old-fashioned, whereas I'm just tired old." I say and rest my arm on the back of the couch.  
"I know what you mean. But why didn't you contact me? I was concerned, Perce." Nico tells me with a worried look set upon his face.  
"Apollo was working with my "PTSD"." I put air quotes around the healthe term. "I wasn't allowed to trigger my past a whole lot. I asked hades about you when I got back, I thought he woud tell you." I shrug.  
"I'll talk with him later then. I understand. Do you feel any better? I figure you're tired of that question, but humor me. I haven't seen you in three years." Nico reminds me.  
"Yeah. I feel great. The Hunt loves me and I them." I tell him.  
"Percy. That's not what I asked. Your aura is...wavering uncontrollably with emotions." Nico tells me.  
"Hold out your arm, Nico." I whisper.  
He looks at me questioningly, but does as I ask. I lean forward and clasp my hand onto his arm and he grips mine in return.  
"I'm going to let you feel what I do. I will use Hestia and Hera's blesings. Brace yourself. You will not like my swirling emotions." A white glow emits from my hand and different colors surround Nico. After a few minutes, I let go and he lets his arm fall.  
"That was...weird. So you're joyous, yet upset. Angry and strained. But you are excited and nervous. That is just messed up. Why are you so mixed?" Nico wonders.  
"Because I'm at camp, yet I'm here with my sisters. The better emotions extends towards you and them. The others just sit there and simmer because I'm back in this place. I do not like the constant flood of memories pouring into my head every time I look at the tiniest detail or a familiar person in general." I explain.  
"So I see. What game? Capture the Flag?" Nico asks, leaning back into the couch like I am.  
"Yeah." I answer.  
"I'm abstaining, I will not fight against you with those idiots." Nico states.  
"How much taller are you?" I ask out of curiosity, it finally got to me. He looks to be about, well a lot taller, more muscular, he's a little less pale, tired-looking, and seemingly happy in my presence. He looks like what I do, but with the characteristics of Hades and his hair is in much the same state as the last time I saw him.  
"I don't know. I hardly notice. I'm like seventeen now or would it be like eighty-four? My best guess is over a foot." Nico shrugs.  
"You don't remember how old you are?" I ask in disbelief.  
"I was frantic in my search for you. I lost count. It felt like forever, plus the constant demands of my father screw with my brain. I get so confused sometimes. It's been hetic without you Percy. At least you helped me when I needed it." Nico says.  
"Yes, well I consider you my little brother and I promised Bianca. Not to mention you're about the only friend I have outside the Hunt. Anything I should know?" I tell him.  
"Well, if it means anything to you, Hazel and Frank are livid with everbody from the Greek encampment. All the Romans are. And Reyna is right up there with them." Nico informs me.  
"So I noticed. It's why I don't speak to them like I do the others." I say.  
"Good. Hazel helped me for the first year, but then Reyna called her back to be like her lieutenant. So her attention was demanded elsewhere. Frank would've helped, but he is the other praetor. His duties were scattered over the country trying to find Roman demigods and quests and everything. I tend to spend my free time with those three at New Rome rather than here. Reyna was on a rampage fpr months trying to find you after she almost killed Jason. Piper got her to stop after receiving a black eye. I help the Romans with tasks now and then. It's why I have one year of service." He shows me his tatto with one mark and the symbol of Pluto on his skin.  
"Sounds like paradise for you, other than the searching for me part. Yep. Been with the Hunt since I got back." I say.  
"Yeah. We need to hang out now that I know you're safe. I'm sorry about your parents Percy. My dad told me and I myself dug into Minos and tore him apart. I can deliver a message to them if you want." Nico offers.  
I perk up at this. "Really?"  
Nico smiles. "Yes. You can even write it down so I won't forget anything." He says.  
I hug him. "Thank you!" He hugs back.  
"No problem, Percy." Nico pats my back.  
I pull away and the conch horn signalling the game is about to start goes off. "That means I got to go. I must help my sisters. Maybe Artemis will let you side with us this once. Come on!" I drag him out of the Big House. 


	13. Chapter 13

Point of view: Perseus Jackson I drag Nico behind me, moving at full speed. He stumbles behind me and as soon as w come to a stop, he plops down on the ground, out of breath. I face Artemis, who is looking at Nico and I with a raised eyebrow. I'm jumping up and down with renewedenergy.  
"My lady!" I call to her.  
She walks over and smiles at my hyper state. "Yes, Percy?" She asks kindly.  
"Can Nico side with us in this game?" I plead with her.  
She looks me over, then Nico, and she gets a thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't see why not. I'll tell the girls if you tell Chiron." She says.  
"Okay." I smile and run over to Chiron.  
"What do you need, Percy?" Chiron sees me approaching him.  
"Nico is playing with the Hunters tonight." I tell him excitedly.  
Chiron looks surprised, takes in my actions, and smiles. "I see. Alright, I'll make the announcement."  
I run back over to the girls and Nico. I help him up. "Percy, are you okay?" Nico asks me.  
"I think Lady Artemis just made his day, death boy." Thalia comes over.  
"How'd she do that?" Nico asks curiously.  
"She's letting you join our side in the game. It has had a drastic effect on Percy's mood. Look at him." Phoebe says, walking up to us. "Let's just get one thing straight. We won't bother you because of our brother and his new found...well he hasn't been this happy since we hunted down a few rare creatures. But if you touch one of us-"  
"I'll have to kill you." I finish seriously, but smile. "I know you won't touch them. You're one of the chivalrous types from back then."  
"Yeah, I won't touch any of you. Just as long as we beat the crap out of the campers is all I care about." Nico smiles.  
Phoebe and Thalia grin evilly. "Oh, we plan on it. You can help Percy get Camp Jupiter's flag." Thalia tells Nico.  
Nico nods. "Sounds good."  
"How've you been death boy?" Thalia asks.  
"How do you think I've been? I don't hear from my two best and only friends for years! And my father has me running errands for him left and right because I'm his only demigod child able to do so. I'm a little tired, Thals. It has been hectic. We are so talking later." Nico crosses his arms.  
"Aren't you bossy." Thalia covers her mouth as she laughs.  
"Relax, Neeks. You know it isn't her fault. Doctor's orders, remember?" I put my hand on his shoulder.  
Nico gives a defeated sigh. "I know Percy. But I still want to catch up with you two afterwards.."  
"I think that can be arranged. Your father can wait for a few days or I'll have mother Hestia scold him for working his child into his grave. Excuse the pun." I laugh.  
"Lets head to our positions early! Move out!" Artemis yells and she shoos us into the woods while she watches our retreating figures.  
I squeeze Nico's shoulder reassuringly. "You'll be fine. Just knock out every boy camper you see." I keep pace beside him and Thalia.  
"Why boys?" Nico asks.  
"Cause the hunters wouldn't appreciate you knocking out girls in a war game. They handle that part. You can wrap them inyour shadows if anything. I just disarm them and go on my merry way." I answer.  
Nico chuckles. "I'll try my best. I'll just steer clear of the girls. I'll rampage through the rest of them."  
"Isn't someone a little more feisty than I remember." Thalia laughs and we gather below the silver flag with a white crescent moon.  
"Okay, as soon as the conch sounds we put our plan into action." Atalanta says.  
"I can't wait sister." I tell her and we high five.  
The horn goes off and Nico and I head off into the forest in the direction of the flag.  
After about five minutes, Nico decides to fill the silence with a whisper. "Who do you think will be guarding the flag?" He asks.  
"I don't know. Probably Frank while Reyna tries to get one of the other flags." I reply.  
We cross into Roman territory after a few more minutes. "If it's Frank, then Hazel should be there with him. I'll handle my sister while you take care of the big guy." Nico tells me.  
"Works for me." I nod and we continue.  
We crouch in the underbrush lining the clearing with the purple flag with the SPQR in gold lettering on it. We were right. Frank and Hazel keep watch over the flag and Frank has his bow out and notched, waiting for an enemy. I look at Nico who nods and sinks into shadow.  
I charge at Frank and he fires at me. I block it with Riptide and knock him over. I glance over and see Hazel struggling against shadows. Frank manages to push me off of him. And unsheathes a sword. This should be interesting. I haven't seen his skill with a sword. Usually it's a bow, spear, or an animal with strength and sharp claws.  
"Percy? So the hunters sent you? Cool." Frank smiles widely.  
"Indeed, old friend." I say and he comes at me. I parry and use the technique Luke taught me all those years ago, when I first came here. I have perfected it. Frank's sword is forced from his hand and I use the pommel of my sword to hit him in the temple. Knocking him out easily. I see Nico talking to his sister, while she is pinned to a tree by shadows. I walk over to the flag and wiggle it out of the ground. "Let us go, Nico. Nice seeing you again, Hazel." I wave at her and Nico and I take off, back in the direction from whence we came.  
We run across the border and into the Hunt's territory. The flag i carry turns silver with a white crescent moon on it and I hear Chiron yell, "Camp Jupiter is out!"  
I stick the flag into the ground next to the original and Nico and I head off in separate directions to occupy a few campers to keep them from getting our flags.  
After another ten minutes, "Camp Half-Blood is out! The Hunters of Artemis win!" Chiron shouts.  
We all meet up at the dining pavilion and Artemis lets Nico sit in between Thalia and I. "Thanks Lady Artemis!" I beam at her.  
"No problem, my Guardian. Enjoy the rest of the night." Artemis smiles back.  
Chiron clatters his hoof onto the floor of the pavilion. "The hunters winning streak remains unbroken. It was an honor to playthe game, Lady Artemis." Chiron bows.  
"Thank you. My girls and Guardian rather enjoyed the endeavor. As well as their friend." Artemis tells Chiron.  
Thalia, Nico, and I high five each other and reminisce about old times and then share our adventures over the past few years.  
Thalia and I tell him about our hunts while Nico explains the work he has been doing for his father. Nico has had to settle the problems of late in Elysium and take over for Alecto and the other Furies in the Fields of Punishment while they run errands for Hades. He had to set up new security details for the palace and help Daedalus find more workers to build new traffic lanesin the Asphodel. "I had to get manual labor workers and create new patches of Underworld so Daedalus had places to setthem up. The spirits had to be moved into a different area until he got that done. Now the area won't go away, so Daedalus gets to reside there with his son and nephew. It's become a huge workshop that Hades lets Athena visit from time to time. They help him build the really extravagant parts. He's never been more excited. He says he's glad he died and wanted me to thank you for him once I found him. Now I must bring news to him after i return to the Underworld. Hazel helps dad when she isn't working for Reyna and Frank. Which is like once every four months, but you know. We found out that there is another Hades child. She runs around in the palace because I refuse to let the gods send her here. Hades spends more time with the three ofus than he would have before, but he is busy with the problems in Tartarus of late."  
"What's wrong with Tartarus?" I ask serenely. I'm over it and I'm enjoying my night with my family and friends.  
"The monsters are acting weird and there seems to be a fluctuating power that stopped a little over two years ago." Nico explains.  
I stare at him blankly. I know why it stopped. i can't believe Hades hasn't realized it. Thalia waves her hand in front of my face. "You okay Perce?" She asks.  
"Brother?" Jade looks over at me from Artemis.  
"Nico...say that again." Artemis orders Nico.  
He repeats it to her and looks at me. "Oh dear."  
"It's when Athena saved me. The fluctuating power. Did it begin when I disappeared?" I ask quietly.  
"Now that you mention it, yeah...Oh." Nico says, realizing what I just said.  
"That would be the releases of energy they were giving off while they all gathered in one place. My cave. You felt Gaea, Tartarus, Titans, and Giants. As well as an immortal Annabeth. Their powers were used. The monsters were understandably...excited at my being held captive." I take a sip of blue cherry coke from my goblet and set it back down.  
"Why didn't my father notice this?! I have to return to the palace. I will come back in about two hours." Nico says standing.  
I grab his arm. "You are not going alone. Lady Artemis, may I have permission to go with my friend?" I look at my patron.  
"Go." She gestures towards Nico.  
"Thank you, milady." I stand and Nico pulls us into the shadows. We melt into them and appear in Hades palace, right in the throne room.  
"Did we have to land here? It reminds me of when I was twelve." I complain.  
"Sorry. I was aiming for Hades, but he isn't in here." Nico apologizes.  
"I'm right here, son. Hello nephew. I haven't seen you in a little while." Hades appears behind us.  
"Yeah, well. Tell tha to Apollo Annoying being his brother. Artemis and I almost strangled him." I answer as I turn around. "But I am disappointed in you. I thought you were smarter. Come on uncle, you seriously going to let me tell Lady Athena of this little occurrence? I wonder if she knows or if you even told her about this little detail." I muse.  
"What detail?" Hades asks confused.  
"The Tartarus detail dad. I wish you would've told me or at least Percy. He had the answer all along and Artemis caught on real quick." Nico puts his hands on his hip.  
A little girl comes running out and jumps on Nico, who crashes to the floor with the sudden impact. I chuckle. "Oh my. Is this your little sister?"  
Nico groans and sits up. "Yeah. Kyla, this is Percy, Percy meet Kyla." Nico motions back and forth between us.  
I crouch down and smile at her. "Hello, Kyla."  
"Percy? Did my brother find you?" Kyla walks towards me and pokes my cheeks to make sure I'm real.  
"No, I found your brother." I laugh.  
"Where were you?" She asks.  
"With my sisters." I answer simply.  
"Who are they?" She asks.  
"The Hunters of Artemis." I reply.  
"Are they nice?" She asks.  
"Absolutely." I tell her.  
"Can I meet them?" She continues interrogating me.  
"Only if your dad and brother give you permission." I say.  
She turns around and looks at the both of them with puppy dog eyes and a pout, I just snicker because they fall for it without hesitation.  
"Oh, alright. I don't see the harm in it." Hades says.  
"Yeah, you'll get to meet Thalia and see sister Hazel." Nico smiles and she hugs him. It's nice to see him so happy. He deserves a family. To be happy. I smile at the three.  
"Make sure she comes back, you too. And what do you mean by the Tartarus detail?" Hades looks at me.  
"The disturbance with the monsters and the power differences." Nico answers trying to occupy Kyla's attention.  
"Ah yes, what about them? What have you found out?" Hades asks.  
"Well, the power began when I was gone and ended when I came back. Do you see the connection?" I ask him.  
He pales. "Yes. As I'm sure Nico told you, I've been busy. I haven't had the time to think on even the simplest of things. The disturbance with the monsters continues however. I have had to skip the meetings up on Olympus. I explained it to Zeus, he understands. I rarely ever come back to my own palace I'm so busy."  
"How has this problem matured?" I ask.  
"Not many monsters are trying to escape into the mortal world right now. As if they are waiting to go out together. I fear for the mortal world." Hades says.  
"You mean..." I start to say, but am unable to finish.  
"Yes, I fear another war may begin. I think you know who will lead it." Hades puts his hand on my shoulder.  
I look down at the floor. "Yes. But I haven't seen her in awhile. Nor do I want to." I answer quietly.  
"I feel her stalking in the Underworld every once in awhile. She entered Elysium, but no one came out with her and no one has left to follow her. Luke Castellan answered all my questions. He said Annabeth Chase was looking for people she knew before they died." Hades tells me.  
"She will lead them to triumph if you let her enter again." I say in a small voice.  
"What do you mean?" Nico asks.  
"She gains power everyday. Entering the Underworld is an easy task for her and she shows the monsters how easy the gods are to beat by entering and leaving without being harmed. Eventually, she will come to your palace and aim to kill anyone who is in it." I tell them in an even quieter voice.  
"I will tell Persephone to stay above in the winter until this matter is resolved. Will you let my daughter and son travel with youfor their safety?" Hades asks.  
"I will discuss it with Lady Artemis. She will undoubtedly let Kyla join us on our journeys. Nico is another story. It will take more convincing." I say.  
Persephone flashes in, "What is it, husband? Why do you call me?" She asks Hades.  
"I have news. You will need to stay above all year if necessary until I remedy a certain matter. You have Perseus here tothank." Hades answers her.  
She brightens immediately and bounds over to me. She gathers me into a crushing hug. "I can't breathe." I manage to get out. She lets go, giggling madly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She screams at me and leaves with a pop and a red flower lands in my hands.  
"What is this?" I ask, studying the flower. Nothing I have ever seen before. It is a super bright red with black strips running in random patterns throughout the petals. The stem is a vibrant green with four leaves near the bottom.  
"You'd have to ask Demeter, but I'm pretty sure it's a new flower. You made her a little...too happy." Hades tells me.  
"Do I have to name it?" I wonder.  
"Yes. Unfortunately. She will expect you to grow it. You might have to plant it in a special place. Ask Demeter." Hades says.  
"Uh..." I look at the patterns on the flower again. They depict...scenes of death. "i think your wife has become very influenced by you uncle, more than you think. Look." I raise the flower to his face and he smiles.  
"So I see. What will you name it?" Hades asks.  
"How about...Airia? It sounds pretty, right? I'm going for pretty or Persephone might kill me." I tell him.  
"I like it!" Kyla exclaims. I smile at her.  
"Lets go see Demeter. Uncle, do you mind?" I ask.  
"I guess not. You just made my wife's day sky rocket and you're watching over my children. Tell Hazel for me, will you?" Hades asks. I nod and he snaps his fingers.  
Kyla, Nico, and i appear in a wheat field. We pop into being in front of Demeter who very nearly has a heart attack.  
"Why do you feel the need to scare me?!" She screeches.  
"That was Hades's doing, aunt." I answer. "Persephone created a new flower to express her gratitude for me. I named it you tell me it's properties and needs?" I hand her the flower.  
"I'm glad you came to me!" She takes the flower delicately and her hands glow for awhile until she hands me the flower back. Her face sullen, but seemingly happy underneath.  
"It grows all year round, it needs to be planted in a graveyard next to a loved one's grave, and it feeds off of the air around it because of the name you gave it. It will spread throughout the graveyard in a matter of two years and it regulates itself so it never grows out of the graveyard. Once you plant it, it will bear seeds within a month. Please plant them in other graveyards, Percy. I wish to see this flower prosper. Persephone meant it as a gift for you for a reason in particular." Demeter says softly.  
"Hi auntie!" Kyla exclaims and jumps into Demeter's arms.  
"Hey dear. How are we today?" Demeter asks the child while I stare at the flower in my hand. Nico sees my sad expression and puts his hand on my shoulder. Kyla and Demeter chatter away like they are sisters Kyla must really like plants. Nico makes me sit down and settles cross-legged in front of me.  
"My parents. She means my parents. I have to plant it at their gravesite." I whisper.  
"We can do that. It's easy. We can take Thals with us. When do we have time?" Nico asks me.  
"Lady Demeter, how long can it survive without being planted?" I look up at the deity.  
"A month." Demeter answers.  
"Okay." I say and look at the flower. "We will plant it later. We must return. I sense my lady's unease at my missing presence. Let us depart."  
Nico takes Kyla from Demeter and sets her on the ground. He looks at me and offers his hand. i take it and he pulls me to my feet. Demeter clears her throat. "I'd like to speak with you Perseus. Alone." She says.  
I look at Nico and nod. He bobs his head in return and shadow travels with Kyla back to camp. "What is it you wish to speak to me about, my lady?" I turn to Demeter.  
"That flower is special. It came into existence because you made my daughter excited. It is tied to you without her realizing it. It represents your gentle, bright, and pained soul. Not to mention Persephone's influence from Hades. I must make it one of your symbols." Demeter replies.  
"Symbols? But I am not a god." I say. A silver flash appears next to Demeter and once it fades, Artemis stands there.  
"No, you are my Guardian. One of your symbols is a moon. There is a matter I need to tell you about that you weren't ready for when I first chose you." Artemis speaks.  
"Which is?" I look at her.  
"Do you know who my predecessor is?" Artemis asks.  
"Yes, it was Lady Selene. What of her?" I answer.  
"She too had a Guardian of the Moon." Artemis says slowly.  
"I'm a Guardian of the Hunt, not of the Moon." I say.  
"You are my Guardian, as well as the Hunt. You are Guardian of both. You are fully immortal, not partially." Artemis tells me.  
"How?" I ask in a quiet voice. Demeter summons a chair and I sit in it, hard.  
"When Zeus blessed you with your animal form, he also made you immortal. It comes with the title." Demeter answers for Artemis.  
"I never wanted to be immortal. Partial immortality I can handle, but now..." I say in shock.  
"Percy, you've been fully immortal for a little more than two years now." Artemis says.  
"Because I was unaware." I whisper.  
"Why do you care about that? You will never fall in battle anyways, so you were practically going to be immortal forever if you were partially immortal." Demeter says.  
"Not helping aunt Demeter." Artemis says.  
"Sorry." Demeter apologizes.  
"Selene's Guardian had the moon as a symbol and nothing else because he was raised into the position. I picked you after you had lived your life. You needed personal symbols, this flower and Riptide are two of them along with the moon.' Artemis tells me.  
"You sound like I have more symbols." I reply.  
"You do. The Hunt is represented by a bow and a wolf. You have the symbols of your patrons and your blood father." Artemis explains.  
"Why did you think I wasn't ready at the time?" I ask, looking up at Artemis.  
"I didn't know if you would blend into the Hunt. I didn't want to officially make you a Guardian of the Moon and Hunt until you proved yourself. Selene's Guardian proved himself the same way you did. By living and breathing the ways of the Moon. You have done this by becoming my family, friend, and protector." Artemis tells me.  
"Anything else?" I ask.  
"A lot more. I have to tattoo your symbols to your skin." Artemis says.  
"Why?" I ask.  
"A tradition. I only have one Guardian. If you should ever perish, I must choose a new one. But it takes a man of pure heart. Selene could not find one, so she raised one from birth." Artemis says softly.  
"And Artemis found one." Demeter smiles at me.  
"Where do the tattoos go?" I look at Artemis.  
"The symbols of your parent goes on your right shoulder and over your heart. The others and those go onto your back as a picture, depicting your soul." Artemis answers me.  
"When do I get them?" I watch her reaction.  
"Today. Before the gods." Demeter tells me.  
"I am ready." I say to her and stand.  
Artemis walks up to me and hugs me. "I knew I chose well." She pulls away and flashes us into the throne room of the gods 


	14. Chapter 14

Point of view: Perseus Jackson Demeter holds out her hands and I hand her the Airia. Then she and Artemis head to their thrones and the rest of the gods flash into theirs. I kneel in front of Zeus's throne.  
"And you are positive my son is ready for this, Artemis?" Zeus asks his daughter.  
"Yes, father. He has proven himself worthy. He cares for the Hunt and I like we are his own. He abides by all rules and takes itupon himself to do any menialtasks so we don't have to. Things have become more fluent and easy since his presence hastraveled with us. I wish to bestow upon him his title oficially and immediately." Artemis answers her father.  
"As you wish it, so shall it be. Perseus Jackson." Zeus looks down at me.  
"Yes, Lord Zeus?" I reply.  
"You have already taken your oath and pledged yourself to Artemis and her followers. Now, as king of the gods, I must ask you. Will you continue to do so? Will you carry on the proud tradition of being the Guardian of the Moon and Hunt?" Zeus asks seriously.  
"I solemnly swear to do so. I will keep fulfilling my position as long as I may live. I will never go back on my oath." I promise.  
"Would you rather die?" Zeus continues.  
"Yes, I would." I admit.  
"Now, I will explain to you the full description of your role. First I must brand your skin with moonlight." Artemis hops down and shrinks as she comes before me. "Rise, my Guardian."  
I straighten and I am towering over my patron. "What must I do?" I ask.  
She looks up at me. "Follow me to my shrine and the gods will meet us there to witness it. I must lead you and you must have faith that I lead you in the right direction. Close your eyes and do not open them until I tell you. Give me your hand." She holds out hers.  
I place my hand in hers and shut my eyes. "Do you trust me?" Artemis asks.  
"Yes, my lady." I answer.  
I feel her tug me and I let her pull me along. "Do you love the forest, the night, the stars?" She asks me as she leads me.  
"I do." I say.  
"Do you love the Moon?" Is her next question.  
"Always." I tell her.  
"And the Hunt?" She continues.  
"Yes." I feel cold air rush over me and I feel an emptiness, like I'm floating over the ground. I feel weightless.  
"Will you stay with me forever if I ask you to?" Artemis asks.  
"I will." I nod and squeeze her hand.  
"Do you still trust me?" Artemis wonders at me.  
"Absolutely." I reply.  
"Then open your eyes, Guardian." Artemis tells me.  
I open my eyes to find Artemis and I are floating up above Oympus. We stand in the air, under the moon. I look down, but I do not fear the height. I feel at peace, more so than I have been in quite some time. My soul hums with power.  
"Can you feel it? Your soul is calling to my domains. Joining with mine." Artemis whispers.  
"Yes. I feel the woods all over the planet, I feel the moon churning the tides of the oceans and fresh water, the wolves that run in packs and the lone ones. I feel the weakening of the roots of the trees and the freezing night air. I feel you." I whisper in return.  
"You are becoming a Guardian for life, Perseus. Your answer to one of my questions. I must ask you now. Will you stay with me forever?" Artemis asks, looking into my eyes.  
"I will." I answer, staring right back, my gaze will not move from her eyes.  
She puts her hand over my heart. "This will hurt. And it will hurt when I brand more. Moonlight is searing. Are you ready?"  
"I am." I say and a silver light comes from her hand and I feel a burning sensation right where my heart is.  
She moves her hand to my right shoulder and the light follows. We still look into each other's eyes.  
"Turn around Perseus and trust that I mean no harm." Artemis says.  
I nod, rip my gaze away from hers, and turn around. She lifts my shirt up and over my head and I hold it at my elbows. Her hands press into my back and I shiver. The burning heat moves up and down my back. I feel the light moving around and after a few minutes, the heat seeps from my back and Artemis turns me around.  
"The picture your soul drew with the moonlight is more elaborate than I thought it would be. Would you like to see?" She asks me softly.  
I nod and she holds out her hands. A mirror appears and I see it is a special mirror. "Show me my Guardian's soul drawing."Artemis whispers and I see my back in the mirror.  
I look at the bright silver drawing etched into my skin. A moon is near my right shoulder blade, a cliff with a wolf howling up at the moon itself. The sea is below the cliff and swirls under the moon beams shining down upon them. The wolf is shining as bright as the moon, while the cliff and sea blend different shades of silver. The wolf's fur is golden and has the symbols of my patrons, the symbols of my father, and my own symbols. The symbols glow with the colors they bear when they are shown in real life. The moon holds the Airia in its clutches, in red and black. A man sits next to the wolf, holding a silver bow in his lapand has one hand resting on the wolf's back as he looks up at the moon. His other hand rests on his bow. He is outlined in black and his shadow is mixing with the wolf's. The stars shine in the constellation of the Huntress.  
"That's on my back?" I ask hesitantly.  
"It is. I realize now that I may have chosen the perfect guardian. Look at your heart, it holds the moon. Then your shoulder holds a trident for your father." Artemis says.  
The moon over my heart is pure white and the trident marking my shoulder is royal blue. But there is a chain of silver and seagreen connecting them. Two chains. The color of one is silver, the other sea green. Then I notice the difference about my body. My scars.  
"You took away all my scars." I whisper in a small voice and slip my shirt back over my head.  
"Are you mad?" Artemis asks confused.  
Tears well in my eyes and I shake my head. She looks at me and I look back. I pul her into my arms and hug her. "Thank you. Again you have made me feel better. I don't know what else I can say." I tell her as the tears spill over and I shake with relief. "I can't be mad. You gave me back my missing pride."  
She returns the hug. "You weren't missing your pride, you were missing your faith in yourself." Artemis whispers into my shirt.  
"It doesn't matter now. I can leave my past behind. I can be free from the constant reminders of what happened." I say and I release her. She wipes the salty tears off my face.  
"Did it hurt?" She asks me gently.  
I shake my head. "No. Not really. Nothing will ever really hurt again, but I could feel the searing hot pain concentrated where the light touched."  
"Let's head to my shrine. I must lead you again, but your eyes can remain open." Artemis tells me.  
She lets us descend and we land in front of the throne room doors, where the gods all stand and she pulls me towards her shrine.  
When we enter the shrine, I am blinded by the bright moonlight coming through the ceiling. She stops me and turns us around to face the door. "Perseus and I must finish the process alone." She declares and the door closes shut tightly.  
Artemis takes me to another room and sits me down in a chair.  
"You have to bathe in the light of the moon." Artemis states.  
"How do I do that?" I ask curiously.  
"Stepping into the realm of the Moon." She answers.  
"Where is it?" I ask.  
"Through that passageway." She motions to the door opposite of the one we came through.  
"What am I doing now?" I ask.  
"Listening to your duties. You already know two of them." She says.  
"Which are?" I ask.  
"Guarding and protecting the Hunt and I." Artemis says.  
"And the others?" I ask gently.  
"Bringing new recruits, never leaving my side without permission, sharing everything with me, no secrets from me, living with me on Olympus, you have to become a god, and I..." She sighs. "I have to ask you to go back on your personal oath." She says slowly.  
"Anything else?" I ask.  
"Well, yes. A lot more, but that comes as you settle into your position. You learn as you go." Artemis starts speaking faster, she's nervous.  
"Which personal oath do you speak of?" I look at her.  
"The one where you..uh.." Artemis blushes.  
"Yes?" I gesture for her to continue.  
"The one where you said you'd never love another woman!" She shouts quickly.  
I just stare at her. She waves her hand in front of my face and I look into her eyes. "Why?" I ask quietly.  
"Well, Selene was...intimate with her Guardian and well, another reason I swore off men was because I hadn't found a Guardian yet. And it is sort of...required." She coughs, turning more red with each second.  
"So you're asking me to...?" I start.  
"I'm asking you to be my mate. To put it bluntly." Artemis looks away at the wall.  
"If I break my oath, then I'll be killed." I say.  
"Zeus, well he talked to Lady Styx and she understood immediately. She released you of your binding not long after you made the oath." She puts her hands together in front of her.  
"Oh. Why must I become a god? I'm already immortal, why am I required to be a god?" I ask.  
"It has to do with becoming my...lover." Artemis whisper, barely audible.  
"Was the last Guardian a god? Selene was a Titan, right?" I ask her.  
"No, he was not a god, he was immortal like you are now. Because she was a Titan, he didn't have to become a god. We abide by a different set of Ancient Laws than the Titans do." Artemis answers.  
"Okay. Why do I have to be...intimate with you?" I wonder.  
"It is tradition." She says. "Do you feel nothing for me?" She asks, hurt in her voice.  
"It's not that." I shake my head. "I've felt that way for you for a long time, but I was afraid of my life repeating. I have no qualms with it now. My oath was keping me away, not to mention I didn't think a maiden goddess would want anyone. Why is it tradition?"  
She brightens and smiles at me. "I have to admit that I've been feeling this way for awhile. When did you start?"  
"When I was with the Hunt for awhile. First I thought of you as my patron, then my mother, then my sister, now...I don't knowwhat to call it. I didn't think I would view any girl like this again. I shadowed it with my memories. So I wouldn't be able to feel that pain again. I didn't want my history to happen all over again." I explain.  
"Well, to answer you. It is tradition because of Ancient Laws and if you're going to be by my side forever and as the bearer of the Moon, I only feel this way about my Guardian. Orion drew me in with his skills. But I should have known better." Artemis shakes her head.  
"So I have to marry you?" I ask slowly.  
"Yes." She sighs.  
"Won't you lose your Hunters?" I ask worriedly.  
"No, it's only because you're my Guardian that I get to keep them. If it was another male, I would lose them as soon as I did...that." She explains. Her voice getting quieter the closer she got to finishing her thought.  
"So, I need to bathe in moonlight, huh?" I change the awkward subject.  
She looks up, grateful for the shift in conversation. "Yes. It will cleanse your soul. Any ties you have from your past life will bedropped. That means your fatal flaw won't feel the need to forgive anyone for their past mistakes. If we have any kids, they will either get personal loyalty or my fatal flaw as their own, or a mix." She makes me stand. "Uh, this might seem...weird, but you have to undress for this part and I have to go with you." She turns red again.  
"Why?" I look at her confused.  
"It needs to heal your body and I have to help heal you. So, I'm just going to lokk away. Thank Zeus I don't have to take my clothes off." She gives a sigh of relief.  
"Like I said, it doesn't bother me. I just don't do it around people because it makes them uncomfortable." I chuckle at her reddening skin as she turns around.  
"Just do it already. I'm not going to look until we are in the moonlight so I don't see you fully." She orders.  
I laugh heartily and do as she asks. "What now?" I ask.  
She holds out her hand and I take it. She takes us closer to the door, but stops before we can step in. She's looking in the other direction. "This won't hurt, it'll just feel like you're becoming a new person. According to Selene's Guardian."  
"Uh huh. So, I'm technically being baptized?" I ask.  
"Basically. Just in a different way than normal." She replies.  
"Wonderful." I say and she walks into the moonlight, pulling me in behind her. 


	15. Chapter 15

Point of view: Perseus Jackson The Realm of the Moon was beautiful. Moonlace grows everywhere. Wolves run about happily and play with each other. They all died and came to their patron's realm. All the constellations in the night sky appear and I notice that the Huntress is the brightest here.  
We walk along a dirt path through the forest. The wolves stop to look at us and bow to Artemis then bound around me until they run off again, consumed in their games. I see a well up ahead with a columned cover over top of it. Two people stand in front of it, their images flickering. A man and a woman. Artemis walks up to them and I see stairs leading down into the well.  
As we reach the two, the man speaks first. "This is the one you chose, Lady Artemis?"  
"He reminds me of you Ezekeiel." The woman speaks next.  
"If you say so, my lady." Ezekeiel answers and shrugs.  
I suddenly get hit with the realization who these two are. Ezekeiel is the Guardian of Selene, the Moon Titaness. The woman is Selene. Artemis smiles at the two. I look between them and notice that they hold hands.  
"Ezeikeiel, Lady Selene." Artemis nods her head.  
"What is your name, boy." Ezekeiel asks me.  
"Perseus." I reply. "Perseus Jackson." I have a feeling he wants my full name.  
"Nice to meet you, Perseus. Enter the well." He removes his hand from Selene's and stands aside for me to get by. He holds his arm out, like he's showing me the way to the well.  
I nod and Artemis releases my hand. I start to descend the staircase. I hear Selene's voice. "Concentrate on repairing any and all damage to your body and soul. Focus on your symbols and your tattoos. They will be your guide, young Guardian."  
"Come back to me, Perseus. Remember who you are." Artemis whispers.  
I feel and hear the hollow padding of my bare feet against my stone surroundings. It's pitch black, but I can sense where I am going. I don' tput my hand against the wall. Soon enough, I hear my footsteps echo against water as I near it, I realize it isn't water, or I would have felt the body of water. It doesn't seem foreboding. Then what was Artemis trying to tell me?  
What is this? I thought I had to bathe in moonlight, not this...whatever this is. I put one foot in and it comes to life. A tingling feeling makes its way through my veins and I wade into the substance. I realize it is moonlight, but it needs cleansed, just like I do. I have to help it heal and it must do the same in return. As my head goes under, I am engulfed in a mixture of silver, white, and black.  
Point of view: Artemis I watch as Percy disappears. When I lose sight of him, Ezekeiel puts his hand on my shoulder. "You picked one of pure heart. He didn't even hesitate, he just went for it. Unlike me."  
"You know as well as I do that you grew up knowing what was going to happen when you went down there. He doesn't. He'll find out soon enough." Selene sighs sadly.  
"Even if he did know, he would've gone anyway. The stubborn fool. I'm glad I picked him." I tell them.  
"Indeed." Selene agrees.  
"I believe he will survive." Ezekeiel says seriously.  
"Thanks, Ezekeiel. You still won't tell me what happens down there?" I ask.  
"No, only your Guardian can tell you. Like I told Selene, so will he. If he comes back. When he comes back." Ezeikeiel tells me.  
I sigh. "I'm just worried."  
"I was when Ezekeiel went down there too." Selene says.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson The light possesses my soul. I wage war with the black darkness of the shadows. The white and Silver lights help me. My tattoos seem to glow. The chains glow brighter every time I manage to push back the repelling blackness. The trident combines with the white as the moon combines with the silver and pulse as I start to win. My back is on fire, but I ignore it and keep advancing against the opposing force.  
Selene said to let my marks guide me and so far it's working. I see my life flash before my eyes as I cleanse the moonlight of the dark. Whenever I touch the dark, I see my pain and the pain of the moon in the night. The wolves and forests dying and being polluted. My childhood. The packs of wolves running to hunt soomething. My arrival at camp. The stars being formed around the moon in all its beauty. My quests. The black pushes back as I look at my quests and the moonlight is fading. I concentrate again and push back harder. The moonlight brightens and I see the forming of the world as the moon takes it all in. The wars. The deaths of my friends. I seek a pathway through the pitch black force. I see humans praise the moon and honor it. First with Lady Selene, then with Lady Artemis. I see as Selene passes on her duty to Artemis, how happy Selene was to be relieved from her duties and how seriously Artemis takes her role as Moon goddess. My betrayal. My time in Tartarus. The Hunt being formed after Artemis was born. My days with the Hunt. I see the last of the black goes out and an explosion of light knocks me further into the well.  
I sink down until I see my tattoos glow unbelieveably bright. I have to look away, but I can't. I watch as a shadow comes out of my body. It phases from me and looks at me. A mirror image of me, just made out of gray and black and it has my dull, broken, sea green eyes.  
My copy holds out its hand and I grasp it. Its legs start to shift into moonlight and it grins at me. Its eyes light up and it says two words before it fades into the light. "Thank you." It closes its eyes and falls back into the light of the moon.  
I look at my hand and in it is a pendant with a black chain laced through it. The pendant is filled with a white light. I hold it up to my face and after i study it, I put it around my neck. I look down to find I am wearing clothes again. A white longsleeve shirt wraps around my upper body and silver pants cover my legs. I look up and see that the moonlight is leading me back up the stairwell.  
Point of view: Artemis The realm starts shaking and the three of us look at the well in time to see a blast of moonlight shoot from the opening in the well.  
"He did it." Ezekeiel grins.  
"We've got a powerful one on our hands." Selene giggles.  
"Thank Zeus." I breathe.  
The explosion dissipates and a stream of light is coming out of the well and moving through the woods. I folow the light back to the well and see Percy step out.  
I gasp.

_Oh how much i love clift hangers the reason im posting new chaper this fast is because i have tons of stories on my flash drive that i want to post. 


	16. Chapter 16

Point of view: Nico di Angelo Demeter flashes us away and we end up in the Artemis cabin. Artemis smiles at Kyla and I.  
"This isn't my doing! Sorry!" I get out quickly so I don't get turned into a jackalope.  
"Relax, son of Hades. I asked Demeter to send you here. I expect you have something to ask me. A favor from your father perhaps?" Artemis comes towards me.  
"Daddy wants us to travel with Percy!" Kyla exclaims excitedly. "Are you the Hunters of Artemis Percy told me about?" She asks curiously.  
"Yup. In the flesh." Thalia comes up to Kyla. "This your little sibling, Nico?"  
"Yes!" Kyla shouts at Thalia.  
"C'mon Thals. I only have two little sisters." I whine.  
"Whatever, Death Breath." Thalia rolls her eyes and turns her attention to Kyla. "Your name is Kyla, right?" Thalia kneels down to her level.  
"Yup!" Kyla pops her 'p.'  
"You want to hang out?" Thalia asks Kyla.  
"Yeah!" Kyla jumps up and down.  
"I must take care of a few things." Artemis tells us.  
"Moon carriage, my lady?" Phoebe asks.  
"Sure. We'll go with that. I must check on the Guardian. Demeter has him...under watch." Artemis disappears in a flash of silver.  
"I hope brother is okay." Atalanta says.  
"Auntie Demeter wanted to talk to Percy. Does that help?" Kyla asks Atalanta.  
"Yes it does!" Atalanta tells her happily and walks over.  
"What do you want to do first, child?" Phoebe asks Kyla.  
"What is there to do?" Kyla asks.  
"Anything really. Thalia is in charge since Lady Artemis and Percy are gone." Phoebe says.  
"Why does it matter if Percy is here?" I ask.  
"Because the Guardian is our protector and he has a say in everything that includes us. But he doesn't care if Lady Artemis thinks it's best. When she isn't here, he's like overbearingly protective. Like a mother bear." Thalia answers my question.  
"Now I got it. It makes sense." I nod and nudge Kyla further towards the girls. "I have no clue what girls like to do. Kyla, I'll be inthe cabin that looks like father Hades if you need me. I need to take care of a few things with the news uncle Percy got us." I say.  
"Uncle Percy?" Thalia asks in confusion.  
It's my turn to roll my eyes. "Yeah, I told her to call him Uncle Percy. She was concerned even though she never met him because I told her he is like a brother to me."  
"Oh, gotchya." Thalia says.  
"How old are you, Kyla?" Atalanta asks.  
"She's eight right now." I answer for her. "I do have one question though."  
"Which is?" Thalia asks.  
"Is Lady Artemis going to ask her?" I ask quietly.  
"It depends." Phoebe says.  
"Hades wants her to come back when a matter is resolved, but I think he knows she might join. I try to take her with me on the tasks that aren't horrifying or dangerous, which are like never. But she normally hangs out with the servants in the Underworld. Sometimes she'll play with Daedalus and his family, but I think she needs more people to nurture her. And I don't know how to. Hazel is busy and the gods can't interact with their children all that much." I say.  
"I suppose you aren't all that bad, boy. You care for your little sister, don't you." Phoebe states.  
"Yes. But I'm away too much and I can't raise a child. I don't know how." I tell her.  
"We can ask Lady Artemis. She always loves having new hunters." Atalanta says.  
"Was Art-Artem..." Kyla tries pronouncing it.  
"Artemis, Kyla. Try again." I laugh.  
"Artemis." I smile at her. "Was that the girl who went away?" Kyla asks.  
"Yup. That was Lady Artemis." Thalia says happily.  
"Is she nice? Percy says she's nice." Kyla asks.  
"Uh huh. She's the best." Thalia tells her.  
"What's the question she might ask me?" Kyla wonders at Thalia.  
"She might ask you to join our family with Percy and the rest of us." Thalia tickles Kyla and she giggles.  
"Can I?" Kyla turns to me.  
"Only if you want to. I'll have Percy explain to dad. Am I allowed to visit her with Hazel on our free time?" I ask Thalia.  
Phoebe answers instead. "That's Lady Artemis's decision. But she will probably let you because you are...a little different. Like Percy, just not to the extreme that he is."  
I nod. "Alright. Kyla, just remember, you still need to develop your powers. You're young."  
"How do I do that?" Kyla comes up to me.  
"I learned on my own, but I'll show you if I'm allowed to come see you. It might come in handy in the Hunt." I say.  
"Okay. What can you do, brother?" Kyla asks.  
"Shadow travel, raise the dead, and other cool things." I smile at her.  
"You wanna learn how to shoot a bow, Kyla?" Thalia asks.  
"Okay! Is it fun?" Kyla asks.  
"It's a lot of fun." Thalia promises.  
"While you do that, I will go take care of things. I will not be able to return to the Underworld for awhile. Thank you for takingcare of her." I tell the hunters.  
"We'd take care of any female." Phoebe says.  
"Yes, I knew that. Bye, Kyla. Enjoy your night." I tell her. She runs over and hugs me.  
"You too, Neeki." She giggles. The hunters look at me and laugh themselves to death.  
I blush an obvious bright red. "Okay. Okay! It's funny. Leave me alone."  
"Sorry, Neeki. But that is just awesome." Thalia gets out while she rolls on the floor.  
I pull away from Kyla. "Have fun, girls." I leave the cabin.  
And you thought it was over. I'm evil, but I'm not that evil. Jeez. Look down at the words, my lovely readers.  
Point of view: Artemis I gasp. His eyes, they are the same from the first time that I met him. They have that childish light and they glow brightly. He carries himself with his old manner. His gait is easier, less tense and ready for anything, but you can tell that he is always watching. He looks just like he used to, but you have to know him to know that he is more serious than he looks.  
He smiles at me. And it's that big goofy grin that I haven't seen in a long while.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson As my eyes clear the stairs, I see Artemis and I smile at her. She smiles in return and I walk up to her.  
"I came back." I state.  
She surprises me by hugging me and after a few seconds I hug her back. "I see that, idiot." She says.  
I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn my head to look at the owner of the hand, Ezekeiel. "What did you experience?" He asks me.  
"My life and the time of the Moon and Hunt. I battled against my darkness. Did you?" I tell him.  
He nods. "That I did. But I didn't see the Hunt or Artemis like you did. You saw twice as much."  
"Your light was brighter." Selene speaks.  
Artemis pulls back and I wipe her tears off her face. "That worried, huh?" I laugh.  
She slaps me. "You could've died." She whispers.  
"I noticed that when the evil in my soul attacked me." I tell her. "Cleansing indeed."  
"Your eyes." She says.  
I chuckle because she said that when I first joined the Hunt. So I ask her the same question in return that I asked that day. "What about them?"  
But her answer this time is different. "They look exactly like they used too when I first saw you."  
"They are, are they? Must be because i see the world differently." I tell her.  
"It's because you're cleansed." Selene comes up to me.  
"I suppose, my lady." I turn to face her.  
"Do you remember about...?" Artemis motions her hand instead of saying it.  
"I remember everything. It'd be hard to forget." I smile at her. "I am fine with it. It is locked away."  
"How?" She asks.  
"The moonlight." I breathe and look up at the moon. It shines brighter than it did before.  
"Yes, it became brighter when you cleansed yourself and part of it. The Realm of the Moon is rejoicing. The wolves will come for you. Come with me. We must follow your Path of Light to finish your journey." Ezekeiel says and shifts into a wolf.  
He looks up at me and I look at Selene and Artemis. They both smile and nod. I phase into my wolf form and Ezekeiel steps upnext to me. "Are you ready?" He looks at me.  
I turn so we are standing shoulder to shoulder. "I am." We both bunch up our muscles and launch ourselves forward.  
As we run, the pack of wolves i saw earlier joins us. Ezekeiel and I run at the head of the pack. Now I realize, these are the woves I saw when I first met the Hunt. Ezekeiel is the alpha of the pack as the Guardian, but he wasn't there because he is dead. His form flickers, even now. He must be allowed to reside here with Selene in death. Artemis must be letting Selene into her realm whenever she wants. i wonder where she stays when she isn't here. And if Ezekeiel stays with her there. Where will I go? Will I go there if I die? I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. Not now. I will ask Artemis and Selene later. I push forward, following the light from the well.  
"I sense you have questions." Ezekeiel says beside me.  
"They can wait. Where does my path lead?" I ask, glancing at the light.  
"It was different than mine. My path shot in a different direction and it wasn't as bright as yours is. It's longer too. The Realm of the Moon is ridiculously huge. We could be running for awhile." Ezekeiel answers. "You are more patient than I am. You can ask your questions if you want."  
"I'm only patient because of my past. I've lived longer than I should have with all that I've been thrrough. Are you sure I can ask?" I ask him.  
"Yes. I am obligated to answer all your questions." He tells me.  
"Are you and Selene allowed to visit this realm?" Is my first question.  
"Yes." He replies.  
"Where else do you reside when you are not here?"  
"Only one place and it is not in the Underworld. It is in the sky. We reside in the Palace of the Moon. Only the souls in the stars and Ouranos may enter besides us. No gods, not even Artemis. Not until she fades like Selene and I."  
"So, you can reform until Selene dies. Or that was how it was before?"  
"Yes."  
"So, when Artemis dies and I die, we will fade into the Palace of the Moon? We will be able to come here?"  
"Yes. But if Artemis dies, you don't. You can die after she does, but you can live until someone makes you fade."  
"And if Artemis dies before she passes on her duties of the Moon?"  
"You must take them on yourself. If you don't die first."  
"As a Guardian, what all do I have to do?"  
"Depends on the Guardian."  
"What did you have to do?"  
"All of what Artemis should have told you already. The rest is based on the Guardian and what he stands for. You are different than I am. You will have more duties."  
"Did you and Selene have any kids?"  
"No. She did not want to have them. She didn't want them to have a life where they would only be pursued by Zeus. He would have killed them if it were not for the Ancient Laws. So he would have antagonized them. We decided against it. It might be different for you and Artemis."  
"Hera adopted me. I don't think she'll let Zeus touch the kids if he thinks that way about them. I call him father now. It's a little weird, but I'm getting used to it." I look down and something about my fur is different. "Holy Hades! Why is my fur changed?!" I keep running.  
"What color was it before?"  
"Black with my patrons's colors through it. Now it's gold with their symbols on it."  
"Well, it might have something to do with your tattoos. I saw them. The trident is there on your shoulder. The chains, I'm guessing the moon is over your wolf heart. Your back is the same except, oh. I see. Your old wolf form is on your back. When you shift back, it will be this wolf. My tattoos don't show in my wolf form."  
"What are yours?"  
"My parent wasn't godly. I was a mortal human. Selene chose me from my mortal parents long ago. I don't have a symbol for them on my shoulder. I have the moon over my heart in silver, not white. My back is decorated in a different way. It's just the moon in a bigger size with Selene, the nymph that took care of me for her, and a tree. The moon is in silver, Selene is in gold, the nymph is in dark blue, and the tree is brown with violet leaves. The tree stands for my symbol, as it was a gift from Demeter. It still lives in the Realm of the Moon, but the original was cut down by the humans who stopped worshipping in the gods and their ancestors. They thought of my tree as an abomination of nature and burned it. Once it died, they cut the remains down and threw it into the sea. Poseidon killed most of the mortals, the rest Selene cursed for eternity. I do not know where they are now. They disappeared a millenia ago. Selene said they would return when they were called upon by the Moon."  
"I wish I could take revenge for you. I only have one godly parent. My mother is mortal. Was mortal."  
"Was she granted immortality?"  
"No. She was murdered."  
"By whom?"  
"The one I was going to give my life to. The reason I am here and not where I went because of her."  
"Her name."  
"Annabeth."  
"Then may she be cursed by the power of the Guardians of Old."  
The moon glows brighter for a few seconds and all the wolves howl, including Ezekeiel and I. "Thank you. How many Guardians are there?"  
"Two. I am one and you are the other. I became the old one when you accepted Artemis's offer. I only said Guardians because one day, the unthinkable may happen again. But I think it will require the gods being defeated and a new age to start before that happens. I have a feeling you'll be a guardian far longer than I was."  
"How long were you a Guardian in life?"  
"You already know the answer. The Well of the Moon showed you."  
I think back. "Two millennia."  
"Yes."  
"That's reassuring."  
"Indeed." Ezekeiel wolf chuckles.  
"Any other traditons I should be aware of?"  
"Selene tells you those, not I."  
"I guess I have to finish this journey before she tells me."  
"Exactly."  
"Will I be able to speak with you and Selene?"  
"Any time you need us. You must come here first. Call our names and we shall come. Or if you need help, we will try our best to help you if you should need it."  
"Thank you."  
"You are welcome. Do you care for Artemis like I care for Selene?"  
"More than she thinks I could." I answer softly.  
"Do me a favor."  
"Anything."  
"Watch Artemis more than I watched over Selene."  
"I will."  
"Love her better. I fear I did not love Selene as much as I should have."  
"Why do you say that?"  
"Because, when I died, I felt like I loved Selene more than I did when I lived."  
"I think you loved her just as much, but you were more worried about her. Now that the strain is lifted, you are able to be more free than you were."  
"Do you truly believe that?"  
"Yes, I do. Your duties no longer needed to be filled when you were both gone. You are able to have more time to just take it easy, rather than watch her constantly and worry about her dying on you."  
He thinks it over and doesn't speak for a long while. "Thank you."  
I look at him. "My pleasure, friend."  
"I think, no I believe, that you will never let Artemis perish. The Moon will never fade again. You won't let it happen."  
"Never." I howl at the moon and Ezekeiel howls with me. The pack takes after us and we run faster, weaving in and out through the trees.  
"We near the end of your light." Ezekeiel says after a few minutes.  
"We have been running for a long time." I reply.  
"Yes. The First Moon and the Second Moon await us."  
"You speak of Selene and Artemis."  
"You catch on quick."  
I laugh heartily. "I suppose."  
We break through the trees and run through the garden. The pack runs off to Selene and Artemis while Ezekeiel and I bound two separate ways around his tree. Once we meet up we run around each other and moonlight envelops our bodies. We circle around and twist the moonlight in a pattern. When we finish, my flower blooms underneath the tree in a gigantic copy of the original one. Its stem wraps around the tree and the flower pops above the tree, like a canopy. The four leaves look like steps up into the branches. We keep running until the moonlight brightens and shoots up into the stars, leaving our bodies, and makes a new constellation. Our symbols together. We bound over to the Moons and take our places by their sides. We shift back into our human forms.  
"Now I see what your path is." Ezekeiel breathes.  
I look at him with an eyebrow raised. "I still don't."  
He walks in front of me and holds out his arm. I grip his arm as he grips mine and a white light shines between them.  
"I understand." I say and we release our grasps.  
I remove the pendant from around my neck and walk over to Selene. "I think this belongs to you, my lady." I gently place it around her neck. "Now I must avenge my predecessor. Call them."  
Selene smiles at me. "Thank you for returning my lost gift. Now I will help you on your path to become a full Guardian. Avenge my Guardian, Perseus. With your symbol intertwined with his, his tree will bear a seed and you can plant it in the world below again." She waves her hand and her voice turns cold. "I call upon the ones cursed by the Moon, may they walk in the Realm of the Moon and die by the chosen one's hand."  
A cave appears to my left in the side of a mountain that hugs the forest. I lay a hand on Ezekeiel's shoulder. "I will avenge mybrother." I smile at him and head towards the cave. 


	17. Chapter 17

jPoint of view: Thalia We practice with Kyla down at the shooting range, when all of a sudden, the moon brightens and wolves howl in the woods.  
"Phoebe!" I yell and kneel on the ground. Lady Artemis told me some of the Moon's traditions, but all I know is not enough to know why the ground is shaking.  
"It's reacting to Lady Artemis!" She yells back in answer, kneeling with all the other hunters. Kyla follows our example and after the shaking stops we all stand.  
"No, it's reacting to the Guardian." I tell her as all the hunters come to me.  
"What are they doing?" Atalanta asks.  
"I bet Percy is seeing the Moon in an ancient place. Lady Artemis was vague when it came to explaining the details of herGuardian. Maybe he is taking on more duties." I say.  
"If the Moon is brighter, something has happened to its spiritual presence." Phoebe whispers.  
"That's similar to what Lady Artemis told me." I nod.  
"What could Percy do that would enhance its spiritualality?" Crena asks.  
"He might tell us when he gets back." Atalanta says.  
"If he gets back. To do something that drastic is life threatening." Phoebe stares up at the moon.  
"He'll make it back or I'll resurrect his sorry butt and kill him again and again." I smack my fist into my hand and electricity sparks on impact.  
"Look!" Kyla exclaims and points at the moon after a few minutes of the hunters chatting.  
I lok up and see a symbol appear in the middle of the moon, a smaller version of itself and it turns black. "Someone is using the Moon's power to curse something." I breathe. The black moon disappears.  
"Or someone." Phoebe adds.  
"Lets just hope it's going towards the enemy." I say. "C'mon. We can head back to the cabin. The harpies are about to do their rounds anyways." I start to lead us back to the Artemis' cabin.  
Point of view: ArtemisAs Percy walks away, I look at Ezekeiel and wait for Percy to get out of earshot. "What are those villagers like?" I ask Ezekeiel.  
"They are cruel. I don't know how they fare now, we will have to wait for him to come back." Ezekeiel says, gazing at the cave where Percy disappears.  
"Do the yhave any powers?" I ask him.  
"Yes. I cursed them with the power of the Moon. They will have the twisted side of the Moon's powers, just not as drastic as a Titan or god. Maybe a demigod level. If he is not careful, he will perish. And his soul lost forever." Selene answers instead.  
"Oh dear." I put my hand to my mouth.  
"He will come back, my lady. Just be patient. I think he intends to do more than just kill them off systematically. I believe he wants them to feel the same pain I felt at losing the last of my symbol in the mortal world. He might be awhile." Ezekeiel tells me.  
"Will he leave one alive?" I ask.  
"Only if one of them is truly remorseful, may a Guardian release the curse that Lady Selene put on them long ago. It dependsif that soul still walks, he might have been one that Poseidon killed." Ezekeiel replies.  
"One? How many were there?" I ask curiously.  
"Out of the twenty that participated in destroying my symbol, seven were killed by Poseidon, six were killed by me, and Lady Selene cursed the last seven. One soul was only there by accident and Lady Selene didn't know who he was. Nor did i or Poseidon. He is either dead or in that cave. If he is in there, not only is it part of Perseus's path to avenge his predecessor, but to free thr souls of the innocent who dwell there. Whether he passes or not depends on if that soul is in that cave." Ezekeiel explains.  
"That soul is in there." Selene confirms.  
"So, to pass, he has to..." I start.  
"He has to remove the curse." Selene says in a monotone.  
"But the curses of the Moon are nearly impossible to lift." I whisper.  
"He will find a way." Ezekeiel tells me. "In the mean time, I want to explore our conjoined symbols." Ezekeiel nods at the flower and the tree and walks up to the base of the trunk. He places a foot on one of the four leaves and it holds his weight. He climbs up into the tree and Selene and I see him pop out through the petals at the top. He sits in the middle of the flower and watches the cave for any signs of Percy.  
"There is no getting him out of that position. That's his sentry form. He won't move until the young one returns." Selene whispers to me.  
"Should we join him?" I look at Selene.  
She shakes her head. "Leave him. Let us head to the leaves and sit. They can hold our bodies." She leads me to the leavesof the symbols and we sit.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I walk into the cave and I am immersed in complete darkness. Pitch black, darker than the evil I just purged from my soul. I uncap Riptide and as it springs to life, a faint bronze glow illuminates the darkness. I continue forward and hear heavy, ragged breathing after a long silence. As I near it, I sense anger, fear, and dread. I near the source of the haggard breathing and see it is an old mortal soul. The body is all shriveled up like the Oracle of Delphi was before Rachel took over. I set Riptide on the ground as quiet as possible and reach my arms around the mortal's neck. In one quick move, i snap the bones in its neck and the breathing sound stops.  
I pick up Riptide and watch as the body collapses into a pile of dust and blows away. That mortal isn't the evil I sense here.  
I trudge forward as I feel my body saddled with a new burden. I realize it must be the completion of my journey that weighs on me. Not total completion, but the progress of it. Each time I get closer to fulfilling it, it will only get harder. The cave starts to lighten and I can see another person up ahead. Less shriveled, but you can barely notice the difference. Instead of anger, I sense hatred and loathing. I feel my moon tattoo glow and moonlight starts blinking to life in my left hand. I stare at the brightening light and look up to see the person nowhere to be found. Then the person is in my face. I touch the moonlight to its arm to keep him from attacking me and it burns his skin. The shriveled man screams in agony and I touch the moonlight to his forehead and the man distintegrates immediately. My body becomes harder to move and the chains on my chest light up.  
I see now. Not only does my body get heavier, but it gets heavier due to the powers of a Guardian coming into my soul. I cap Riptide. I'll do this without my sword. The moonlight doesn't dissipate, but glows brighter and a shaft of moonlight appears within reach of my right hand. I grip it and the shaft shapes into a spear, brightening further than the fiery moonlight in my left hand. I push on and keep going on my trek. The soul I sense ahead isn't foreboding, it's more like frightened. It feels like...like I did when I was in Tartarus. I walk up to the man.  
"W-wh-who are you?! Get away from me! i didn't do anything! I was passing by in my cart with my crops! I didn't know! Please spare me!" The man shrieks and whimpers.  
I tilt my head at him and slam my spear into the ground. It winks out, but I know I can summon another one. I kneel before the man. "Look at me." I say and he tentatively turns his head at me and I glean into his thoughts and memories. "I see you do not lie. But how to help you. The curse won't let you leave at all. Hmm...hold still, this might hurt." I step away from him and summon moonlight in my other hand. With both of my hands, I draw my symbol, the Airia and Ezekeiel's tree in the air in moonlight. I put them together and shrink them. I hold them in my palm and place the symbol onto the shivering man's forehead and he flinches from the searing hot light. But I hold the symbol to his forehead and concntrate on breaking the binding of the curse. It takes awhile, but after about twenty minutes, I remove my hand. As I remove it, his skin returns to its original state. A regular looking thirty-two year old man stands before me.  
"What did you do?" The man asks in a husky and young voice.  
"I broke the curse, but there is a price and I cannot change it." I tell him.  
"Name the price and I will pay it." The man says.  
"You must guard over the new tree that is to be planted and watch over its growth. You must spread its seedlings. The curse that was put over you was very strong, whether or not you committed the crime, the price still holds. I'm sorry. There is nothing more I can do, but give you a life of redemption. The curse has made you immortal as well." I explain.  
"I will gladly watch over the tree and its sprouts. Now how do I get out of here?" The man asks.  
"You cannot leave until I do. You must follow me if you wish to leave." I say as my body nearly drops from the weight. "Styx."  
I summon the spear back into my hand and let it help me. A shield of moonlight appears on my left forearm.  
I lead him and I further into the cave and manage to slay the next two after making them burn to death with moonlight. I lean onmy spear heavily as my trident tattoo starts to glow.  
"There are only two more cursed ones." The man tells me, laying his hand on my back.  
"I am fine. Just the weight of my body is getting a lot harder to fight off. Keep moving." I say and practically drag myself to the next man, no woman. I sense remorse and loathing of oneself radiating of of her.  
I walk up behind her slowly. "Do you truly regret what you did? Do you seek forgiveness, cursed one?" I ask when I stand beside her.  
She jumps, startled. Her hissing voice comes from parched and cracked lips. "Yes. I do not know what I was thinking. I do not know how to find salvation." She starts sobbing.  
"Then stand and I will help you. Come forth, so that I may start you on your new path. I will grant you the retribution that you hope for." I tell her and she slowly rises. She comes before me. I repeat the process I did for the man and she becomes younger before my eyes, while I grow more weighted.  
She starts crying and hugs me. "What can I do to repay you?"  
"The price of your return is to watch over my symbol as a Guardian. You must nurture it and all of its kind. Follow me to get out of here. Stay behind me until we emerge from the cave." I say and walk by her.  
The pure evil I had sensed when I first stepped into the cave draws nearer as I feel the air beome colder and I can see my breath in the ever lightening cave. My back starts to burn.  
"Why are you glowing?" The woman asks.  
"The end of my path is coming closer with each step I take. My body grows heavier with each part of the quest I secure. The final test is up ahead. I must kill the evil presence at the end of this cave." I tell them. I stop and turn to them. "You must stay close so that you don't get hurt. Once I eliminate the threat, I will barely be able to walk at this rate. You cannot leave without me, but you cannot stay either. If you have to, just keep in contact with my body to exit the place."  
"There is a band of moonlight around your brow." The woman says.  
"What does it mean?" The man asks.  
"The exit will open once I am done. Stick with me." Is all that I reply with. In the shadows, I see dancing flames. I examine the cavern I step into closely and see a main fire in the middle of the place. I stop again and observe the fire. I watch as a figure tends to the fire and I see the dark waves being produced from his body. This is the evil that flows through the cave. I straighten and turn the spear back into a shaft of light. I draw back, aim at the person, and throw it with as much strength as I can muster. I use the power of the moon to throw another one and they pin the screaming man's shoulders to the wall of the cave.  
With the adrenaline coursing through my veins I walk up to the man. "Are you the one who originally came up with the plan to cut down the tree?" I ask visciously.  
"What if I am? What are you going to do about it?" He tries to sound confident and unafraid, but fails entirely.  
"The evil rolling off of you, it's because you were hit with more than just a curse. You feel no guilt over what you did to a living thing or the one you hurt by burning it alive. The curse is doubled on you, isn't it." I say.  
He won't answer. I put moonlight into my hands and put the light on his arms. "Isn't it." I repeat.  
"Yes!" He cries. "Let me be! I just want to be left alone!"  
"You will not get your wish." I say. "You may be miserable, but you don't feel anything more than pure hatred. You would do it all over again because you couldn't see straight." I say and touch the moonlight to his stomach.  
"I would! It was a monstronsity to the world of nature!" You can hear his pain through his voice.  
I sink my hands into his stomach further and he rips his shoulders into the beams of moonlight even farther by struggling. He starts writhing and I slam my hand against his throat. "Stop moving or don't. You only help me make you feel worse than the curse makes you feel. And I know what I'm doing. I'm just not that cruel. I'll suffocate you with fire, just like you did to my predecessor's tree. But this isn't any ordinary fire, it's the light of the moon, and it will hurt worse than the fires of Hell. I promise you won't find rest in the afterlife, I can make sure of that, you don't deserve peace."  
I put both of my hands on his throat and the moonlight burns brighter. It starts enveloping his body in a cocoon and after a couple of minutes the screaming stops and all I feel is the losing struggle of a dying man. After another minute, he stops struggling and drops to the floor. The moonlight wrapping around his body brightens as I will it to send him to eternal damnation.  
"Where is he going?" The man asks.  
"The Fields of Punishment to endure something far worse than I did to him. A human who messes with the symbol of a Guardian or an immortal at all is dealt with severely." I answer and summon a shaft of moonlight to lean on.  
"Are you going to make it?" The woman comes up to me with the man.  
"Yes, I will be fine. Once I leave the cave, the burden of receiving my abilities will lift and I will be able to walk easier. Come, it is time you both left this cave, just touch your hands to my arms, but don't help me. I must make it on my own strength." I reply and they put their hands on my arm, lightly touching.  
I head in the direction of the entrance and after awhile I see light ahead. Silver light. I walk a little faster and the two keep pace. I lean against the cave wall as I make the shaft of light disappear and straighten as I walk without help. The three of us step out of the cave and as the last of our feet move through the opening, it shimmers and disappears. Gone forever until the next cursed ones.  
I look at the two symbols and I see Ezekeiel beaming at me, then his smile fades and a frown of confusion replaces it. He jumps down and runs over to me. He raises a hand to my forehead and traces something. The band. Selene and Artemis walk over and Selene looks at Ezekeiel.  
"Lady Selene, what is this for?" Ezekeiel asks.  
"It means he's ready. As for what it stands for, I am unsure." She starts thinking, but then smiles and holds out her hand. "Come. Time to finish the ritual."  
I take her hand and she pulls me along until we come to the middle of the garden. I see pedastals. Three of them and a fourth one is starting to rise. Two hold moons and another holds a tree. The moons shine brighter than the tree. As the fourth pedastal rises into place, Selene pushes me in front of it.  
"Percy, kneel." Artemis smiles at me.  
I do as Artemis tells me and kneel before the pedastal. Selene walks over to me and I feel her hands hover above my head with Artemis's.  
"Since you have already taken your oath, we will now officially make you a Guardian." Selene says.  
"You will feel the burdens draw from your body." Artemis says.  
"And they will tell us how powerful you are as a Guardian." They say together. "I must first give you my blessing as the first Guardian." Ezekeiel says and I glow brighter as i feel something shoot into my back.  
Then I feel the heaviness leaving my form and the light from my tattoos and the band around my head move upward into the hands of Artemis and Selene.  
Together they form the light into my symbol and a circle of some kind of light moves around it. They place it upon the fourth pedastal and the light brightens. As the light fades, a moonlight copy of my flower sits upon the risen platform and the other band of light shines around it. Constantly moving in different patterns. My symbol shines brighter than Ezekeiel's.  
"So let it be." Selene and Artemis say in unison. Selene puts her hand on my shoulder. "It is my turn to bless you and name you." Selene says and a silver glow surrounds me. "Rise." She commands.  
I rise and she turns me to face her. She reaches her hand up to my forehead and places her palm to it. Light comes from herhand and the it disappears just as quick. "Artemis, look." Selene tells her and turns me to face the goddess.  
"That's different from mine." Ezekeiel says and his eyes glow white as something appears on his forehead. It's a bright white full moon. Artemis just shakes her head and summons the same mirror she used to show me my tattoos. She whispers something into it and I see the thing that is on my forehead. My eyes glow white like Ezekeiel's do, but the thing that's on my forehead is definitely different. I have a crescent moon with a star in it.  
"The Brand of the Guardian is supposed to be different for each named Guardian, but we are not supposed to have stars. Question is, what would it be without the star?" Ezekeiel muses.  
"Does that mean that the band around my symbol is starlight?" I ask.  
"That's exactly what it is. I wonder why. The band around your forehead was starlight as well." Selene tells me.  
"Am I a Guardian of the stars or something?" I wonder.  
"We are unsure. We need to consult with the Fates to be perfectly aware of the situation." Artemis says.  
I turn to Ezekeiel and spot the two immortalized humans and beckon them forward. They were respectfully waiting at the edge of the garden. They come up to me. "Ezekeiel. The man is the new protector of your symbol. The woman is going to protect mine."  
"How did that happen?" Ezekeiel asks. "I'm glad you were able to save two instead of just one." He smiles at me.  
"Me too. It was the price of lifting their curse. There wasn't anyting I could do about it." I shake my head.  
"I am fine with it. I will keep the tree safe and other people from being near it in the event of something like that happening again. What is the tree's name?" The man asks.  
"Verafold." Ezekeiel replies immediately. "Perseus, why do they have both our symbols on their foreheads?"  
"It is how I broke the curse." I answer.  
"I'm okay with the price I must pay. It's better than the punishment he gave that man." The woman says.  
"What did you do to the leader?" Ezekeiel asks.  
"I made him feel the pain of the Verafold when it burned and then he didn't really like the moonlight sticking out of his body and searing him. I sent him to the Underworld the hard way." I tell Ezekeiel.  
"I quite like the notion. Thank you." Ezekeiel says and holds out his arm. I take it and we smile. Our brands fading.  
"I was glad to have the chance to avenge my moon and wolf brother." I say.  
"Not to mention brother Guardians." Ezekeiel grins.  
"You told me there were only two, but I feel the presence of another. It is Helios's Guardian, isn't it?" I ask as our arms drop.  
"Yes, her name is Pelara. She is sometimes allowed here when she wants to visit Selene and I with Helios." Ezekeiel answers.  
"Apollo has not found a Guardian yet." Selene looks at Artemis.  
Artemis shakes her head. "No, she has not appeared and if she has, he has not laid eyes on her."  
"Why do I feel as if there is a void of Guardians?" I ask.  
"What do you mean?" Ezekeiel looks at me confused.  
"Like when I think about the other gods there is a void beside them, like they are missing part of their power." I explain.  
"You are different than Ezekeiel it seems. Is there a void beside either of us?" Selene asks, gesturing between her andArtemis.  
I shake my head. "No, Ezekeiel and I fill the empty spaces for you. Which is why I asked about the other Guardians."  
"I still want to know why you have starlight as a power. Can you make it?" Artemis asks.  
I hold out both my hands and summon moonlight in one and starlight in the other. "Yes. I used moonlight in the cave though. I didn't realize the starlight. The weight of my body was pressing me to finish the journey. It was a crushing weight, almost as crushing as the weight of the sky." I answer.  
"My body was not that heavy. It was half of that." Ezekeiel tells me.  
"Well, I'm stumped and I assume we will find out sooner or later. And with my luck, it will be sooner and more so than you think." I shrug and I turn to the humans. "What are your names?" I smile reassuringly at them.  
The man answers first. "Dadarios."  
"I am Teliria." The woman speaks.  
"Right, Ezekeiel, I need that seed to plant and I will escort Dadarios to a grove of the wild that has not yet been touched. I will ask a Lord of the Wild to place a blessing over the grove so it is harder to find and hopefully keep it safe from mortals." I tell him.  
Ezekeiel holds out his hand and a seed appears in it. He stares at it and a tear trails down his cheek. "See to it that you take care of the ones who destrpy it if it comes to that."  
"I will." I promise and take the seed. "Hold out your hand Dadarios. If you are its guardian, then you should start your duties now." I place the seed gently in his outstretched hand. The tree part of the symbol glows on his forehead and the flower disappears. He closes his hand around the seed and smiles at it. He holds it to his chest.  
"Same goes for the protector of my symbol." I turn to the woman. I summon my flower and hold it out to her. "Here you go Teliria. This is the first of its kind." I tell her as the flower on her forehead glows and the tree part vanishes.  
"I know where you want to plant it first." She smiles. "I guess you'll want to be there. I will await you there and protect it until then." She promises.  
I look at Ezekeiel and we both nod. We place our hand on our respective protector and bless them. I hand the woman a shaft of mixed moonlight and starlight and she takes it gratefully in one hand while pressing the flower to her body. Ezekeiel hands a spear of moonlight to Dadarios and he holds it proudly.  
"These will help you. You already know how to use them with our blessing." Ezekeiel tells them.  
"The marks on your forehead are now one symbol, Teliria has the Airia and Dadarios bares the Verafold. They brand you as the Protector of our symbols. Guard them well." I tell them.  
"So that is the flower's name. Beautiful." Teliria studies the plant. I smile at her.  
I make a band of starlight and place it around one of Teliria's upper arms and do the same to her other arm, but with moonlight. "So you can walk out of the Realm of the Moon and Artemis's shrine without being attacked by the gods."  
Ezekeiel places a brace of moonlight around one of the forearms of the man. "Same for you. Go now without fear."  
"Dadarios, go to Camp Half-Blood. The symbol will guide you. Just think about it." I tell him.  
Dadarios nods and the two new Protectors walk out of the garden and head into the forest.  
"I will visit the grove for you to make sure your Protector and symbol are safe." I promise Ezekeiel.  
"Thank you. I'm excited to see the seed grow into a magnificent tree." Ezekeiel tells me.  
"Once it is planted, your power will become as it once was." I say.  
"I know. I will be able to help you in the mortal world from the Realm of the Moon or the sky. If you call upon me, I will be able to fill your body with my power for a little while to help you keep your oath. Selene can help Artemis as well." Ezekeiel tells me.  
"That is reassuring. I appreciate it. I will only call on you if I am in the most dire of situations. The extreme always seems to happen around me." I whisper.  
He nods and we go to our joined symbols and sit on the botom leaf of mine. We look up at the new constellation we made. Selene and Artemis come over to stand before us.  
"Percy, are you alright?" Artemis asks.  
"Yeah, I just remembered something awful from a while ago. Something I shouldn't have kept from you. I must tell you now. I am bound to tell you." I look at her.  
"What do you mean. You showed the girls and I everything about that time." Artemis looks at me confused. I look at Selene.  
"No, he asked Iris to keep something from you in his head." Selene tells Artemis.  
"What was so terrible that you didn't want us to know?" Artemis puts her hand on my shoulder.  
"Not only were my parents murdered. I lost the only two friends I had left down there. The ydragged them down there and killedthem after doing..." I shake my head unable to explain and just wave my hand. A circle of moonlight appears next to Ezekeiel and my memories appear in them.  
After watching it for ten minutes, I wave my hand to make it disappear because I already showed her the rest.  
"They killed Blackjack and Mrs. O' Leary. Right after they stopped doing that to them. Their souls were made to be vanquished forever because I wouldn't cooperate with them and I lost the last of those who cared for me." I say quietly. "They will never reform. They are lost forever." My voice drops lower.  
"Who made them fade? It was too dark to see." Artemis asks.  
"Tartarus did. He didn't even absorb their souls, he just obliterated the part of them that keeps them tied to the world." I explain.  
"I'm sorry Percy." Ezekeiel says.  
"It's alright. I have new family and friends. But I haven't yet grieved even once for everything that I lost. The Airia, it must be planted by the grave of a loved one. The original that is. After that, it can be planted in any graveyard. I will grieve for my parents then. That is where Teliria awaits me." I reply.  
"I can hear Dadarios. He is trying to find the camp as we speak. He made it past the gods with ease. he wants to know how to use the symbol." Ezkeiel says.  
"It's your symbol. You tell him." I chuckle. "Teliria is already in the graveyard. I guess i must go help her then." I rise.  
Selene comes upto me and hugs me. I hug her back. "Take care of my successor young man." Selene tells me.  
"I will." I promise.  
She pulls away and Ezekeiel holds out his arm again. We grip each others's arm. "Don't let her fade."  
"I won't. Do not worry." I nod and we release arms. "Let's take our leave Lady Artemis. I'm sure Apollo is freaking out." I hold out my hand and she takes it, smiling. "We'll see you two again." I say and I lead Artemis out of the Realm of the Moon through a door she creates.  
I got you again! Look down readers. I told you I was making it long to make up for the one day I didn't update lol. Read on my friends!  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson We step into her shrine and I open the door for us when we get to it. The gods look at us as I lead Artemis through the door. She squeezes my hand and smiles at me, I return the smile.  
Guardian. The graves glow as the Airia nears them. I must move away as to not attract attention. Teliria speaks in my head.  
Very well, Protector. Just do not let monsters catch the scent of it or you. Be wary. I won't be long. I reply.  
"We must head to their resting places." I whisper to Artemis. She nods and I lead her towards the elevator. She stops me and drags me to the edge of the walkway.  
"You ready to test one of your new powers?" Artemis asks.  
"You're kidding." I look at her. She shakes her head and I sigh. "Well, no time like the present." I jump off, pulling her with me. I free-fall with Artemis while we laugh like kids. As we near the tops of the buildings, I focus on the wind around me and I float down towards the pavement with Artemis. I push us towards the sidewalk so we don't get flattened by cars.  
It is the middle of the night. "How long were we in the Realm of the Moon?" I ask.  
"A day exactly. Like many ancient places, time runs differently in our realm." Artemis explains.  
"'Our?'" I ask surprised.  
"Yes, you are a part of the Moon, you belong to it. You are a Moon Guardian." She smiles at me.  
"Okay." I lead her towards the graveyard Paul told me about in the letter. I see Teliria in the branches of a tree overlooking the graveyard, far enough away so the graves don't glow too brightly.  
She hops down from the tree when she sees Artemis and I and smiles as she runs up to me. "Guardian. I never caught your name."  
"My name is Perseus, Protector Teliria." I smile at her.  
She nods and leads me to the graves and they glow brightly when the Airia is beside it. "I'm home." I tell the graves and Teliria plants the Airia between the two graves. The graves shine brighter, lie they are excited by my words and fade. I get down on my knees in front of the graves andremove my hand from Artemis's grip. I put my hands on the two graves and let my head hang.  
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you." I whisper to the graves.  
As Teliria pats down the last of the soil around the Airia, the black outlined scenes of deaath glow bright and I feel hands on my shoulders. "It is not your fault, son." I hear a male's voice. I look up and see Paul's soul touching my left shoulder.  
"Percy, please don't blame yourself." I take my hands away from their graves. "My baby boy, it isn't your fault. It was hers."  
Tears start running down my face at the sight of my beautiful mother, touching my right shoulder. No they aren't touching me, I only feel the cold of their souls near my shoulders. "Yes it is. If I wasn't so stupid. If I wasn't so childish, you would still be..." I choke on my words.  
"That's not true. She even had the gods fooled. I don't care if they hear me. It's true. She played us all. That was an act worthy of Hermes. Sorry, but to act for that long and at such a young age to begin at, she was perfect in how she played her game." Paul says.  
"You weren't childish or stupid. You still aren't. You're being stupid now blaming yourself though. You were a young boy who had a hard life even before all this godly business and were looking for an escape. When she caught hold of you, you couldn't see past a better life. You know as well as I do that becoming part of the mythological world was the best thing that happened to you because of that man. You deserve a better life, Percy." My mother speaks.  
I am surprised she even talked about it. She doesn't like talking about Gabe. I put my hands in my lap and look down. "What does Sally mean, Percy?" Artemis asks.  
"I will tell you later, my lady." I say.  
"Very well. I will speak with the Protector of the Airia until you are finished grieving. May you both rest in peace." Artemis tells my parents.  
"Thank you." They say.  
"I'll have to tell her eventually." I say to them when Artemis leaves with Teliria.  
"Why is that?" Sally asks me.  
"I am the Guardian of the Moon. I am her Guardian. I cannot keep anything from her." I explain.  
"That's great! You found a better life then?" Paul exclaims.  
"Yes. Far better than I ever had. But I still miss you both. You were two of the only ones able to brighten my day." I look at them.  
"Maybe. But you have new parents, am I wrong?" Sally smiles at me.  
"How did you-?" She cuts me off.  
"Hera came to Elysium and told Paul and I about her's and Hestia's adoptions of you. And that Poseidon reclaimed you. When he came to apologize I gave him my two cents worth." She holds her head high.  
Paul chuckles. "She said words I thought she'd never use. I even scolded him and he left with his tail between his legs with shame."  
I look at my mother, stunned at what Paul told me and she blushes. "He deserved it for doing that to my child."  
"Are you two happy in Elysium?" I ask.  
"It would be nice to be alive, but our time up there has passed and we are happy. We even adopted the children who died as heroes in life. They live with us and Hades gave us this huge house for everyone. It's nice Percy. But don't you dare die young man." Paul says seriously.  
"Even if I did die. I would never end up in Elysium. I would go to the sky with Artemis." I say. "The moment I became her Guardian, I lost my place in the Underworld and gained a new place up in the Palace of the moon. I can only enter it when I die. If I die. Once Artemis fades, I will be able to die and fade with her if that happens. I won't be able to see you."  
"Are you happy, Percy?" Mom asks me.  
"Yes. Very much so." I tell her.  
"Then don't worry about us. Just visit our graves once in awhile when you get the chance." Paul says.  
"Which heroes did you adopt?" I ask, remembering what Paul said earlier.  
"All the younger ones and a few teenage-looking ones. I don't think you know any of them." Mom answers me.  
"Oh." I say, saddened that I didn't know the whereabouts of my dead friends.  
"I don't think any of the ones you knew are in Elysium. They all chose rebirth." Mom tells me.  
"We have to go now, son." Paul tells me all of a sudden.  
"I'm sorry Percy. maybe we'll see each other again." Sally says.  
"Goodbye. I hope you enjoy your time in Elysium." I smile at them. They return my smile with big ones of their own and whisper goodbye. "We will always love you." Mom says as she and Paul fade.  
I stare at where their souls were and look at their graves. "You're gone. You're both gone. Thank you for forgiving me." I say and touch their graves again.  
"I will make sure no one touches the flower. Will you come back in a month to pick the seeds?" Teliria asks.  
"I will. Once there is more than one site, you will be able to transport between them to keep an eye on all of them. You can even recruit helpers to protect with you. Just call on me and I will come to see them. Since you can do that, I will give you something else." I let my hands slide off of the graves and rise. I walk up to Teliria and make a tiara of starlight and rest it on top of her head. She beams at me.  
"Thank you. I will start looking immediately amongst those who I see pass by. Children will most likely want to help. I sense unease around this city and in its younger population. Goodbye, Perseus." Teliria says and walks over to the Airia. The shaft of light on her back as she moves around.  
"Now we must head to camp and find Dadarios before we return to the gods." i tell Artemis and she takes my hand again. She flashes us onto the hill, right next to Thalia's Pine again. I chuckle at the irony of that tree. 


	18. Chapter 18

Point of view: Perseus Jackson Artemis and I walk down the hill and towards the Artemis' cabin, hand in hand. She asks me about the cave and I answer her. Just before we get to the door, she asks, "What did your mother mean?" Artemis asks and I stop us. I shut the door slowly and turn to face her.  
"She meant my ex step-father, Gabe Ugliano happened. I know I must tell you everything and I want to. I just never talk about it. It doesn't seem real anymore. But it happened. It won't reverse. And the marks are gone. Shall I tell the hunters as well?" I raise my eyebrow at her.  
"Do you mind?" She looks at me worriedly.  
"Not at all. I suppose they have a right to know. Though, Thalia already knows. She is part of my 'therapy' as your brotherloves to make me talk about my life. Instead of just Tartarus, he made me talk about all my problems. And I trust Thalia. She promised not to tell anyone." I anser.  
"On the Styx?" Artemis wonders.  
"No." I shake my head.  
I open the door again and usher her in. I close it as I step inside. As I turn to face Artemis, I realize the lights are on and find that Dadarios is surrounded by angry hunters.  
"Girls! Calm down! This man is a Protector of a symbol. You must not harm him. He only followed orders." Artemis pushes through the crowd of hunters and they disperse back to their beds.  
"Which symbol does he protect?" Phoebe is the first to speak up.  
"My predecessor's. My lady, I must finish the task. May I take my leave?" I ask Artemis and she smiles, nods, and comes to hug me. I hug her back and she heads to Thalia's side. "Thank you milady. I will tell you the story when I return. I have told you of my experiences, tel them to pass the time. Come, Protector Dadarios. The Airia's Protector is in place. Now it is the Verafold's turn. It needs to return to the mortal world comepletely." I tell him.  
"Yes, Guardian." Dadarios walks up to me.  
"You can call me Perseus if you wish. I'm going to transport us by moonlight. But first I must find the Lord of the Wild I know you ready?" I ask and he nods. I smile and place my hand on his shoulder. I flash us to where I sense Grover. We scare the life out of him and he bows immediately.  
"What can I do for the Guardian of the Moon and Hunt?" Grover asks in a kind tone.  
"I require the skills of a Lord of the Wild. May I borrow you?" I try to ask in a nice tone, but fail miserably. My smile is a grimaceand he looks up at me.  
"Of course, Guardian." Grover nods and rises.  
"Wonderful. We are traveling by moonlight. Don't freak out, Lord." I say and place my other hand on his shouldr as I flash to an unknown place of wilderness under the light of the moon.  
Dadarios walks to the middle of the clearing and I lead Grover after him. Dadarios looks at me, for permission to plant it here. I grin at him and nod. "It will prosper most there. The place where moonlight will touch every part of it. Once it bears more seedlings, plant them around the clearing. After that, I will find a new wild place for them to grow. Plant the seed, Protector."  
Dadarios plants it in the ground, he must have the knowledge of the plant then. Good. It makes it easier to help it grow better and healthier. He rises and comes over to me. "Ezekeiel, use my body to help the Verafold's Protector." I look up at the moon and call my fellow Guardian's name.  
I feel something enter me and I sense it's excitement and gratitude. My arms move by the will of the other presence in my mind. I know my eyes glow and the Brand is glowing as well. Ezekeiel shines more moonlight at the disturbed soil and a sprout pops out of the ground. The sprout grows until it is a sapling. Next Ezekeiel places a band of moonlight around Dadarios's forehead, but you can still see the symbol on his forehead through the mooonlight. I feel a smile force onto my lips and the gratuitous presence leaves me and I keep the smile there.  
"Your duties are to, obviously, protect this symbol and all of its species. You may, well, you pretty much wil have to bring recruits to help you tend to the symbol. Especially when new sites are able to be made. I assume you know the properties of the Verafold?" I tell him.  
"Yes. It will be able to produce more of its kind in a matter of four months. I will use moonlight to speed its process. I will search for new people to help me guard the Verafold." Dadarios says.  
"I believe they will be called Tenders of the Verafold. Choose well and call upon me if you find one. You can look from a distance and I will ask them if you tell me. I'm sure Ezekeiel is already looking." I tell him.  
Did you get the Tender thing, Teliria? I call out to my Protector.  
Yes, Guardian. She answers immediately.  
Thank you.I tell her.  
My pleasure. I find it easier to look over this plant than to do what I was doing before I was cursed. I'll see you later, Guardian. I feel her leave my mind.  
"Lord, will you place your blessing over this grove, please?" I turn to Grover, this time I'm able to smile.  
"Yes, Guardian." Grover says and starts to chant in Ancient Greek. I sense a force spread throughout the forest. We weren't in America. This is on an island out in the middle of almost nowhere. There is a small village near this grove, but only a few people live in it.  
"Thank you, Lord. We will take our leave, Protector. Guard the Verafold with honor." I say. Dadarios nods and I flash Grover and I back to where I found him before. He sits back down on the same stump. We are in Camp Half-Blood's forest, joy.  
I turn and start walking. "Percy." Grover calls warily. I stop and turn to him.  
"Yes, Lord?" I ask respectfully.  
"I didn't mean what I said before. Can you forgive me?" Grover pleads with me.  
"I lost all ties last night. I am loyal only to the Moon and the Hunt. I no longer hold the same feelings towards those who wronged me. Which means, no loyalty, no anger. But I despise the people you became. So, I do not yet know. I may not be able to forgive if I lost what I felt before. I'll forgive you. But do not expect me to be friendly. I respect your position, not you yourself. You lost my friendship then, and you don't have it now. I don't know you, Lord. Do you require anything else of me?" I tell him.  
Tears glisten in his eyes. I just despise them all now. "Can I talk with you?" Grover asks in a strained voice.  
"As you wish." I walk over and join him on the stump.  
"How did you lose all of your ties?" Is his start as a conversation. I scoff. "Please, Percy." Grover begs.  
"I officially became a Guardian. A part of the Moon. My soul is cleansed of my old life. I am done with all of it. I only feel...empty other than the despising when I look at all of you. Only because you were able to treat a person like that. Turns out the Romans are better than most Greeks. Who knew?" I retort.  
"Don't say that." Grover scolds.  
"Yes, Lord." I reply.  
"Why won't you call me by my name?" Grover asks me next.  
"Out of duty. Though I may be higher than you in all of those silly ceremonial things, I must respect your position as a being and master of nature. I will not harm you, as it would be against my role as a Guardian to harm nature in any way, shape, or form." I say and hold my hand up to the sky. A butterfly lands on the tips of my fingers and I bring it to my eye level to examine it. It's wings are blue and red. It appears to like me. I touch its wings gently and smile as it flits around my head. I watch it as it flutters off to go on with its life.  
"You seem more in tune with nature than before." Grover nods.  
"Perhaps, Lord." I answer him. "Maybe even more so than you, but I do not really care if you are better or not. I just like the relaxing calm of the wild. I am part of it and it is part of me. I am one of its brethren."  
"What do you mean? I did not think that Lady Artemis's blessing extended that far." He looks at me confused.  
I bark a laugh and shift into my wolf form. I sit and thup my tail against the log and Grover jumps away in fear. "It is not only the blessing or my role that glues me to the call of the forest. I am beckoned by my wolfish spirit. Look." I jerk my head as a pack of wolves appears. I pounce off of the stump and head to the wolves at an easy pace. The wolves howl and I howl with them as I near them. They bound over to me and surround me as we play like wolf pups. I sit on my haunches and shift back to human. The wolves pace around me and brush against my body. "My brothers and sisters are always somewhere. I have many. Whether they be hunters or animals. We do not prey on the weak, but on the truly evil. But survival is what makes us hunt down our food. I do not hunt with them, as I do not need to." I scratch between the ears of a few.  
I see Grover backed in the far edge of the clearing, but he nods at my statement. "You need not fear them. They will not harm a Lord of the Wild. But they feel my unease towards you." I tell him.  
Grover makes his way slowly over to the edge of the pack and stands there nervously. "What about the wolves of Lady Artemis?" Grover asks hesitantly.  
"They reside somewhere special to me and milady. They normally don't come into the mortal world. But since I have taken on my role, I expect they will travel with us now. They won't leave me alone I suppose." I sigh and absent-mindedly scratch in between the ears of another wolf. It leans into me and it just rests its head on my lap. I pet it as I think about the magnificient wolves I saw in the Realm of the Moon.  
"Why is your fur golden?" Grover asks.  
"It was black with different colors running through it, but once I received my markings, it changed. It's on my back. And my original from is on my back fur in my animal form." I smile down at the sleeping wolf in my lap as I stroke its fur. His name is Verick. Once I see a wolf, I know what its name is.  
"What markings?" Grover asks.  
"That is personal, Lord. Will you force me into showing you?" I ask sarcastically.  
"Of course not. I was only being curious, Percy." Grover tells me, hurt in his voice.  
"My friends and family call me Percy. The rest call me Perseus or Guardian." I answer, my voice void of emotion.  
"I am your friend." Grover argues.  
"And what were your last words to me, before I went missing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.  
"I should never have said that." Grover whispers.  
"But you did and you can never take it back." I tell him in a monotone.  
"No, but I can make up for it." Grover says determination in his voice.  
"There is no need, Lord." Shake my head at him.  
"There is every need, Percy. I must right my wrongs." Grover says.  
"Wrongs that no longer hold you to my soul, but my mind." I reply.  
"Why are you making it difficult?" Grover huffs.  
"Because in my mindset, you need a challenge to overcome and be able to be forgiven. Though I already told you that you were." I look at him. The wolves were all laying down around me. Most right next to me.  
"What do I need to do?" Grover steps a little closer but puts his foot back when a soft, sleepy growl comes from the wolf closest to him. I smile at little Zazel. She seems like a really playful pup.  
"I already told you the day I came back." I answer him.  
"How long will that take?" Grover asks quietly.  
"Awhile. It's not like you have good reason to betray another anyway. Am I right? Derek seems to be behaving after my sisters dealt with him." I say.  
"I swear on the River Styx that I will never betray someone so dear to me again, unless they betray me first." Grover promises and thunder booms in the distance.  
"Oh, willing to risk your life on that, are you? You see, last time, I didn't even betray you. You might want to gather your facts if it ever comes to pass again, or you might regret it. And fatally so too. That would be a sight." I grin at him wolfishly.  
"Will you forgive me now?" Grover asks, nervous by my grin.  
"Hmm..." I tap my chin in thought. I am thinking over it when he speaks again.  
"Well?"  
"Am I not allowed to ponder?" I ask him. He just looks at me and I go back to mulling it over. I run my hands through the wolf's tangled fur. I comb through it and after awhile of thinking it over, I have almost his entire fur detangled. Verick was a peaceful alpha, but was hard as a nail when it came to protecting his pack. I look down and smile at him. He shifts closer to me in his sleep, sensing my happiness towards him.  
Grover clears his throat. "Anything?"  
"Very well. You have the right to regain my...friendship. I warn you, I am a changed man. I do not warm up to a person as quickly as I used to. It will take longer than before, Grover Underwood." I tell him. "But know that I treat individuals like the Hunters of Artemis do, I do not take kindly to males." I say ominously.  
He stiffens. "Why?" He asks.  
"My sisters's pasts are most frightening and hold men in the most harshest of lights they can be cast in. I only gained their trust by sharing my past with them and treating them as real people. Rather than being frightened of them. All they wish for is to be loved and cared for. And that is part of my job as their Guardian. I am to keep them safe, that includes around myself and in their home." I answer.  
"Do you ever wish to return to us, your other family?" Grover asks.  
"No. My family is in the Hunt. Once they accepted me, I never wanted my life here at camp back again. They took me in and in return, I let them in. I have no other family. Family doesn't do that to one of their own." I tell him seriously.  
"No. They do not." Grover admits.  
"At any rate, I take after my family. Justice is one of my duties. Justice to the Moon and justice of the Hunt." I say.  
"What do you mean?" Grover asks again.  
"I mean, I am the verdict of any harm or wrongdoing that comes to my family." I explain.  
"I see. What about it?" Grover asks unsure.  
"It was a concealed threat, Grover." I look into his eyes and let it sink in.  
"Oh. Okay." Grover nods.  
"Don't you have duties to attend to? I thought Lords of the Wild were constantly busy." I roll my eyes. "Lot of good that does. Wolves dying left and right, forests being lost to pesky mortals. Traps everywhere, catching innocent animals. I had to put a squirrel out of its misery because a bear trap caught him, holding him in place by crunching into his stomach. Poor little thing. I felt so bad. I gave it a blessing of nature Lady Artemis taught me." I say sadly.  
"Which blessing?" Grover asks curiously.  
"It is different from the ones I have heard you utter, but it goes: 'Find peace in the nature surrounding you. Connect with the ground below and the sky above. Feel the Moon help guide your soul to an eternity of bliss. Go forever to paradise.'" I whisper in Ancient Greek. The pack's breathing deepens and I smile sadly at my wolf family.  
"It's beautiful." Grover whispers with tears flowing out of his eyes.  
"Of course it is. Lady Artemis made it herself to help the souls of the dying pass on. It works for any dying soul, but it works better with animals. I have a different one for others, but I'd rather not repeat it at the moment." I say. "I must return to my mistress. She will be worried." I wave my hand over the wolves and they all wake. They brush against me one last time and bound off into the forest. "My family is going to kill me." I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. I let go of my nose and flash into the cabin. 


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: In the Artemis Cabin!(Percy is so screwed...sigh :P)  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I'm in the Artemis cabin in a huge dance of silver light and as soon as the light fades, I am slapped across the face by none other than my favorite sister, Thalia Grace.  
"What took you so long?!" She screams, happily even though she is fuming.  
"The Lord of the Wild desired my presence once the placing of Dadarios was completed. Forgive my absence." I say to her.  
"Oh. Are you okay?" Thalia immediately calms down.  
"Why wouldn't I be?" I ask curiously.  
"Because he was one of the ones who wronged you." Phoebe tells me.  
"Did you explain my process to them, Lady Artemis?" I look at her.  
"I did. Give them a second to mull it over and they should realize it. It is a lot of information to log into their heads all at once. Though you are perfectly at ease with it." She grins at me.  
"I believe I fit this description perfectly, the only reason I was able to understand." I smile widely back at her.  
"Oh!" Atalanta exclaims. "I got it, I got it, I got it!" She jumps up and down. "Your cleansing rid you of all your ties to your former life except for Lady Artemis and the Hunt."  
"There you go." I turn my smile at her. "Took you long enough. I knew you'd get it though."  
Artemis was clapping her hands and giggling up a storm along with her hunters. "Percy." Artemis whines.  
"What is it, milady?" I fown in confusion at her.  
"Since the present circumstances stand, you need no longer use 'lady' as a part of my title." Artemis says and I redden.  
"Are you sure?" I ask once I calm my skin tone back down.  
"Absolutely. I have arranged it so that we will see the gods tomorrow. We may rest for the night and you can tell us about Dadarios and the rest of your secrets. You are bound to me and are required to tell me everything." Artemis explains.  
"I understand. And I would have told you everything about my life as soon as I was able. I didn't need to be bound to you to inform you of my entire past. It was only a matter of time. And they can hear it as well. They deserve to know everything if they are to know me for who I was and how it makes me who I am today." I tell Artemis.  
"Good." She nods.  
I sit down next to her on her bed and the hunters drag all the beds up to us. They all push together and they assemble in tight rows in front of us.  
I tell them about the experience of running through the forest with Ezekeiel, about my trial in the cave, how I established Dadarios, my talk with Grover, and I told them everything but what happened with Gabe Ugliano. I take a deep breath.  
"There is still one thing. The thing Thalia knows, the thing you made me wait for when your mother mentioned it, it's about your first step-father, isn't it." Artemis states slower as she continues her sentence.  
"I was saving it for last, dear." I close my eyes and it takes me a few minutes to open them, I'm still extremely tired from everything. "Gabe Ugliano. How I hate that man. My first step-father. I didn't consider him human at all as a child, but as I grew I saw that he was just a cruel man with greedy wishes to feed his lust for everything precious to others. I think it would be better if I would just show you. You'd interrupt me if I talked about it. At least the image would continue to show you. Face the wall and I will show you." I pointed to the wall opposite of us and held my palm, facing towards the wall. A beam of moonlight shot from it and landed against the wall, I poured my childhood memories into it and the beam cut off as I lowered my hand.  
The Image Around the age of five, little Percy is holding up a ring for Gabe to present Sally with and after he slides it on her finger, he walks over and gives Sally the ring for Gabe.  
The reception went smoothly and Gabe seemed to be the perfect husband even though he packed on a lot more than a few extra pounds. His love handles showed throught the entire reception. He held Percy on his lap almost the entire time and shared his food with him. Little Percy loved his new daddy and warmed up to him immediately.  
The moment Sally first left the house to go work, it was summer and Percy was in his room enjoying a nap. Gabe enters the room with an evil grin plastered to his face, his belt in his hand.  
I watch with an expressionless mask on my face because they keep turning to me and raising their eyebrows. When Gabe walked into the room, the hunters and Artemis had their bows in their hand and were prety much snapping them.  
Gabe walks over to Percy and grabs his neck. He shakes Percy awake and Percy falls back onto the bed. His eyes flutter open and he smiles up at Gabe.  
"Hi Daddy!" Percy exclaims happily.  
"Shut up, runt. Time for lessons to begin. You tell your mom, she gets the same." Gabe sneers and Percy looks at him in fright.  
"What lessons?" Percy asks in a small voice. "I can't read very well. Mommy teaches me without books to make it easier. Mommy loves to read. Why would I care if she gets to read or not when she loves to? I don't understand daddy. What is a runt?"  
Gabe lashes the belt across Percy's cheek. "This is one of the lessons I am going to teach you. Speak and you get hit with anything I have in my hands. Don't speak and we only have our lessons. Tell your mommy and she gets worse than you. Gotit?"  
"Yes, daddy." Percy holds his cheek.  
"Don't call me daddy. Don't speak unless I give you permission." Gabe whips the belt against Percy's right side and Percy cries out in pain and clutches his side. Ignoring his cheek because his side hurts worse. "Got it?" Percy nods and Gabe hits him in his side again. "Don't make noises either. Take it like a man." Percy's eyes overflow with tears and as Gabe hits him repeatedly screaming his version of proper etiquette Sally comes through the front door.  
"Gabe! Percy! Where are you?" Sally yells happily.  
"Out in a minute Sally! I'm helping Percy with something!" Gabe yells in a false giddy voice of a love struck fool.  
Percy still sobs quietly and Gabe leaves the room, but not before saying, "Every morning and night your lessons will continue and you will learn new ones or be retaught old ones." He says, straps his belt back on, and closes the door quietly.  
Percy crawls under the bed and his piercing sea green eyes show in the shadows. They close and you can hear the awful noises coming out from underneath the small bed. Blood pooled out from underneath the bed and seeped into the carpet. Soon, almost the the whole entirety of the floor around the bed was stained with it.  
Everyday it was a different thing Gabe hit him with. There were belts, and newspapers, but as he grew older, it was whips, metal baseball bats, and crowbars. His only escape was school and then Sally felt the lesser of what he felt while he was away.  
When Percy was eight, Sally came into the room to find Percy curled in the corner, crying his eyes out.  
"Percy, why are you always littered with cuts and bruises? Please tell me you aren't doing it to yourself or that Gabe isn't responsible for it." Sally sits down next to him.  
"No, mommy. It's not Gabe or me. I-it-it's the kids on the streets and at school. Don't worry mommy I'll be fine." Percy lies and cries harder. He hates lying to his mom.  
"Don't lie to me Percy." Sally tells him sternly. One of the rare moments where she is speaking to Percy without happiness in her voice.  
"I-I can't tell you! He'll-he'll...he'll just make it worse on you. It's him mommy. It's him. Now he's gonna hurt you too. I don't want you hurt mommy." Percy cries into his mother's chest.  
My heart clenches as I remember uttering those words, my face starts to show my heartache at seeing my mother and those awful memories of the past.  
"How long?" Sally seethes quietly.  
"What?" Percy mumbles into her shirt, balling his eyes out.  
"How long has he been hitting you?" Sally asks nicer and pulls him away to look at her son.  
"Since the beginning." Percy admits to her. "He started it the first day after you got married and went to work mommy. He's not nice. I don't like him mommy. Can we please not be around him anymore?" Percy begs.  
"Oh, Percy." Sally's eyes start tearing up. "I can't, there's a roblem once we leave him. We won't be able to live on our own. Especially now that you're older." Sally clutches her son to her body. "I wish your real daddy was here, he would know what to do. I couldn't bear to be separated from you though. I need someplace else to be with you that will keep us safe." She whispers, but Percy had fallen asleep.  
I am using my owers so I can see exactly what happened while I was unconscious as a child.  
The memory fades as Percy collapses on the porch of the Big House. That was four years later.  
And the Hunters saw it all. 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty: Artemis Cabin Point of view: Perseus Jackson Bows are strewn all over the beds, snapped in half. Including Artemis's, her beautiful silver bow that is engraved with all kinds of symbols. I sigh and wave my hand, all bows are restored, even Artemis's.  
They all turn to look at me slowly. "So...any questions? Or are we not reacting in any way but anger?" I ask calmly.  
They stare at me and Artemis pulls me closer to her. Her hands find mine and clench them in a vice grip. "Where is he?" Artemis hisses.  
"Well, my mom turned him to stone after my first quest. So, he's definitely dead. Hades would know. My best guess is probably in Asphodel because no one really knew what hapened to my mother and I. But they suspected. Gabe always played the great actor role of a husband in public." I shrug. "Ask uncle Hades."  
"I plan on it. Stay here with the girls. Once I find him, we are going to have some fun, Hunter-style." Artemis growls out. She pops away in an angry silver light.  
"Oh boy. I think we are going on a field trip. And I just got back from one. This should be interesting and/or frightening. I probably won't forget the experience." I sigh.  
Atalanta raises her hand like we are in school at the current moment. "Yes, Atalanta?" I ask as the girls all come over to surround me so they can ask me questions easier. Thalia takes Artemis's place beside me.  
"Did they he ever leaves scars?" Atalanta asks quietly.  
"Yes, the only easily visible ones were on my sides. He wouldn't leave any on my face. It would just bruise, welt, or be scratched up all the time. All scars I ever had are now gone." I smile at her. I roll up my sleeves and show them all that the cursed ones, too were gone.  
"Miraculous. The properties of the Moon are truly magnificent." Phoebe breathes.  
"Indeed. I am grateful to Artemis and Lady Selene. Ezekeiel is a wonderful man. I think you would like him. He is like me inaspect." I tell Phoebe.  
She nods thoughtfully. "Can we see your back?" She asks.  
"Of course." I say and I summon starlight and show them what's on my back. "And here are the other tattoos and my Brand." I tell them and the starlight shifts to show them one by one.  
"How do you feel?" Thalia asks.  
"Different." I smile at her.  
"I mean what kind of different." Thalia elbows me in the side, I just grin at her.  
"Like nothing could tie me down. Other than the ones I call family of course and only in the good way. You guys ground me to this life." I answer her truthfully.  
I let the starlight fade.  
"What are all your duties and powers? Lady Artemis tod us what she knows, but nothing more." Crena says.  
"I am unsure of every single one of them. But I will only be able to tell you as I live my life. Right now, you know as much as I do." I say honestly.  
"So, you get to become a god? What of?" Jade asks.  
"Unfortunately, yes I do get to become a god. If it makes Artemis happy I'm fine with it. But really being immortal with this much power is more than I need. I don't know what I will be gos of until I am one. Yay..." I tell her. She crawls over and sits in my lap.  
"So, it's a surprise?" Kaya asks.  
"Yup." I pop the 'p' and smile at them. Then I sigh knowingly. "There are people watching us. I suspect males but something tells us otherwise. I believe it is a little girl. Will one of you get her please?" I yawn.  
"Sure." Phoebe laughs and brings a little girl in. Phoebe walks her through the group of hunters and sits her down in front of me beside her.  
"What's your name, little one?" I ask politely.  
"You're Percy, right? The guy they told me disappeared a long time ago?" She asks nervously and fidgets with her hands,starightening her hair with her fingers. Must be a habit.  
"Yes. I suppose you weren't here when I was, eh? How can I help you?" I smile warmly at her.  
"My name is Dahlia. I am a daughter of Demeter. And...I wish to join the Hunt. I hate it here." Dahlia says.  
Then a familiar voice chimes in. "I want to join too! I just never got the chance to ask!" Nico's little sister climbs over to Dahlia. Kyla.  
"You can if you want. But I cannot grant you your partial immortality...I don't think...oh joy. Now I've got to figure this one out. I do know however that I can accept your oaths for Artemis, but she is normally around, so I never do. Besides, she likes to see who you are, even though she has tried to tell me she trusts my judgement." I chuckle. "I don't like doing anything without her permission. So it bugs me until she approves. Do you truly wish to become a part of the group which I protect?" I tilt my head sideways at them.  
"Yes!" Kyla exclaims excitedly.  
"Absolutely. All the boys here are gross and they are rude. Especially those Ares boys." Dahlia shudders.  
"What did they do?" I ask seriously. I know that look.  
"I'd rather not say." Dahlia says.  
"I will deal with it later then. How old are you, Dahlia?" I ask her gently.  
"I'm thirteen, I'm just short." She sighs.  
I chuckle. "I was too. Don't worry. It's normal. You don't have to be frozen at this age. You can travel with us as you grow or Artemis can speed age you. But if you don't want to be touched as much by boys, I suggest you freeze at this age. Though, some men are sick and take interest, which I want to send them to Tartarus for." I say darkly as the thought of evil men crosses my mind.  
"Can you accept me into the Hunt right now?" She begs.  
"Of course. You seem like you'd be perfect for the Hunt. Do you wish to stay this age?" She nods. "It is a lot harder for me, but I can do it. I sense I can. Using Artemis's blessing is taxing as I'm beginning to see as I adjust to the powers I have received. Repeat after me." I tell her.  
She takes her oath and I lay my hand on her shoulder. I draw on Aretmis's power and give Dahlia her blessing. Dahlia glows silver and as the light fades, her skin shines in the moonlight coming through the window. She squeals and hugs me, after shepulls back Thalia starts telling her about everything.  
"You should know, that you can still fall in battle. Be vigilant." I tell her. "Kyla, do you wish to stay at your age now?" I ask her.  
"Yes!" She exclaims.  
She takes her oath and I give her Artemis's blessing as well. "Same goes for you. Listen to Thalia." I motion towards my sister. Both girls lsiten to Thalia intently and smile at her when she is done introducing all the hunters and explaining all the rules. Everyone stats telling stories as I hold Jade and join in on the ones that I was present for or have heard and put my input onthe ones I didn't even know about.  
Artemis, I have inducted two new members for you. I am sorry if it upsets you.  
Not at all, Percy. I wish you would do it more often. You are extremely exhausted. I have located Gabe Ugliano. We shall deal with him after you become a god. You are too tired to do it tonight.  
Very well, Artemis. When will you return?  
Once I have this man put into the Fields of Punishment. He was in Asphodel. Hades took a look at his soul and was furious. He is letting you come up with the right punishment, until then, he will undergo all the different ones that are currently in the Fields. Relieving some of the evil souls. The ones who have leaned their lesson get to enter Elysium for true repentence because Hades was feeling that you had influenced him. So, they wish to meet you when you come down. Most of the souls have repented, and there are many new spots to fill. Hades is all excited, he's practically a child again. Sleep, my Guardian.  
I will sleep once I know everyone is in the cabin. Hurry, my Moon.  
I feel her smile. Okay, I won't be much longer, I wish to watch him a little longer. It is amusing to watch the man who made my Guardian suffer, struggle with these punishments.  
Alright. Enjoy yourself.  
I intend to. I turn to the girls who are watching me. I had laughed when they were elling a sad story.  
"Sorry, I was speaking with Artemis. She is having fun." I defend myself.  
Their faces soften. "Good." Phoebe smiles and goes back to telling her story.  
After we go through exchanging about ten more stories, Artemis flashes in with a huge grin spread across her face.  
"Back from CandyLand?" I chuckle.  
She smiles at me and joins me on my other side that isn't occupied after telling Thalia she can stay seated there. "Yes, I am. So, these two maidens have joined us? Were they ever...?" Artemis rolls her hand.  
"I am unsure of the older one, but the younger one, definitely not." I answer, knowing what she means.  
"Did you forget to ask me something?" Dahlia looks at me.  
"No need, I can find out myself. Just give me a few minutes. If it's too painful to speak about, then I won't dredge it up. You can tell your side when you are plenty ready." I stretch and yawn. I put Jade in Artemis's lap and walk to the door. "Won't be long, I shall be next door. I have a few questions for these lovely people." I tell Artemis. She nods and I leave. 


	21. Chapter 21

Point of view: Perseus Jackson As I walk to the Ares' cabin, I look up at the moon and smile at it. Then I find the Huntress and smile at her. When I look back down, I find myself at the door of the Ares' cabin. I knock on the door loudly and after about five more minutes of a steady rap on the wooden object, Clarisse answers. She looks taken aback and smiles. I stop her before she can assume much else and say seriously, "I need to see the boys of your cabin. Immediately. Wake them or I'll do it, painfully." I tell her and she nods, her face grim.  
It takes her only five minutes of screaming at them to get them to come out. She slams the door behind them after she pushes the last one out.  
"Follow me. I wish to speak with you about matter I take very offensively." And they all visibly gulp.  
I take them to the fringes of the forest. once I feel we are far enough away, I spin on them and a couple fall on their behinds like idiots in surprise.  
"I want the truth and only the truth. Swear on the Styx that you will answer all my questions truthfully until I say the word 'Bye.'" I growl at them.  
I get all of them to swear quickly at my tone.  
"Did any of you touch Dahlia, daughter of Demeter in any way?" Is my first question.  
All but two raise their hands. I snarl. "Any other girls?" All but the same two raise their hands again.  
"You two need to stand behind me then." I tell the innocent two. They do as I say.  
"Now, what did you do to Dahlia?" I ask murderously. They flinch back at my tone.  
The eldest one speaks up. "All we ever did was hit and kick her a few times. And maybe touch her once or twice." He quivers in fear.  
A feral snarl rips from my throat. "In what ways did you touch her?" I ask viciously.  
"We didn't take off anything. We were just teasing. All we did was..." He whispers the rest, but I catch it.  
"That. Is. Not. Teasing. Who else?! Who else did you 'tease?!'" I scream at them. "I want names! NOW!" I shriek even louder.  
They found a piece of paper and pen and wrote down every last name. "Is it valid?" I ask in barely controlled anger. No one answers. "Is this list valid and complete?!" I yell and they all nod.  
I shove the list into my pocket and glare at them. They shrink back and I radiate rage.  
"Now, swear on the Styx that you will never touch a girl like that again unless they give you permission. Swear!" I yell, accidentally switching to Ancient Greek.  
They all swear. "I will give you your punishments in the next training session I hold. You are to be at the arena at the crack of dawn to receive it. No breakfast. You train harder than any one else. Now get out of my sight. I want to speak with you two." I say pointedly at the two innocent ones, turning on them.  
They look at me nervously. The others sprint back to their cabin like their lives depend on it, which it did. I was itching to snap their necks.  
"Since you both are innocent in the actual doing of things. But I must ask a question and you are still obligated to answer me truthfully. Did either of you know about it before it happened? Any of it? Did you try to stop it in any way? Does Clarisse know, other than what she has seen? Has she done anything?" I ask, glaring at them.  
The older one looks to be about fourteen, he speaks first. "You said question, but I can answer some of them. I don't know about Clarisse. I didn't know about anything except the one instance before it happened. On that one I tried to tell Chiron, but he wasn't in the camp and neither was Mr. D. By the time I found the girl, she was crying on the beach and I had to help her back to her cabin. On many occasions, I would try to tell Chiron, but I was either too late or my brothers just got kitchen duty, the ones I knew about anyway. They still scorn me for it."  
"Your name, young one." I look at him proudly, with a small smile.  
"Jack." He answers, smiling back in response to mine.  
"Typical name for an Ares kid." I grin.  
He holds up his hands. "Can't blame me. At least I don't have a Greek name, that would be frustrating. I'm sure you know." Hewiggles his eyebrows in that creepy knowing way some eople are able to do.  
"Yes, I do. And you, boy. What about you?" I turn to the eleven year old.  
"My name is Owen. I didn't know anything until after it happened. I approached Clarisse about it, but she said something around the lines of, 'I am unable to stop them, unfortunately. The only reason being that if I even tried, they would chalenge me for the leadership and that would be a bad idea. It would only get worse. I have intervened several times by making up fake plans about helping the girls out with a weapon. I am unable to stop them because of father. He would frown upon it. Curse it all to Hades, if I had it my way, the idiots would be kicked out of camp for harming any of them and tarnishing the name of Ares. If I bring attention to it, then father would either disown me or do something worse. And you would be vulnerable and bullied more than you are now. I have attempted to tell Chiron, but he knows how Ares is. He can't do much other than make them do more chores to distract from their...habits. I wil renew my efforts. I will gather up most girls and hold classes with Piper. Spreadthe news to all the girls you see. They will appreciate it. Hurry along before our brothers overhear us.' Clarisse is always away or was always away looking for you and Annabeth. Or she was sent by Chiron to bring back protectors and demigods. She is almost never here. And the eldest is in charge. Which means Isaiah. The big guy you made pee his pants. Clarisse tries her hardest, but is unable to do much when she isn't here 24/7. The ones she sees, she immediately tries to tell them she has a lesson with the girl or says that they had some things to discuss with Chiron, but those are getting old and they suspect. Theywill soon call upon Ares and Clarisse knows this. She cannot defend them forever." Owen finishes.  
I growl. "What about the other heads of the cabins?"  
Jack speaks, "Derek joins in when he is bored with terrorizing the other cabins. Malcolm is so upset he joins Clarisse on her searches and goes out of camp to look for demigods at schools. Travis and Connor are trying to keep the Hermes cabin up and running. They have been...well, they have been spread out across the country searching for anything on you and the girl, systematically destroying the remaining monsters, and finding demigods. The other cabins heads are either girls who are being bullied or are too busy trying to maintain peace between all of them and Ares cabin. Clarisse and the two of us are the only ones not treated badly. Except by our brothers. Jason is always stopping fights between Travis and Isaiah. Piper is tryingto help the emotionally and mentally scarred girls. Honestly, if you give me the list, I can find the girls that were left worse for wear in most places. More than half the time, they are left in the woods. Shivering and frightened. Jason goes in every day to make sure there aren't any out there. I help, but I try to keep an eye on my brothers with Owen here."  
"Holy Hera! Sorry, mom. When was their next target going to happen?" I ask incredulously.  
"What time is it?" Owen asks.  
"Midnight." i answer immediately. Ah, Guardian powers, sweet.  
"Since they can't harm any others-" I cut Jack off.  
"I said they couldn't touch them in that way, not that they couldn't hit them. I was understandably enraged at the moment." I say.  
"They are too stupid to figure it out at the moment. It will take 'em a couple weeks before they start to think it over." Jack says.  
I pull out the list and hand it to him. "Which ones are the worst? I'll start with them." I ask.  
He looks at Owen and Owen hands him a pen. They discuss which ones haven't been acting too happy recently and after arguing over each name and circling the ones they agreed on, Jack handed the list back to me.  
I peered at the list. The idiots wrote it in English. Thank Zeus I can read names better than most words. I count the names, there are about twelve girls. Seven are circled and three have question marks beside them. That left two that were okay. I will save them for last then.  
"Which cabins?" I ask.  
Jack shudders and Owen has to speak. "Ares, Hecate, Demeter, Athena, Hermes, Hephaestus, and Hypnos. One in Demeter, two in Athena, one in Hecate, three in Hephaestus, one in Ares, two in Hermes, and two in Hypnos."  
"There are apparently no others because of their oath. But I can't come to believe that that is all of them. Unless they terrorized them in a different way, or had someone else do it. But maybe not. You just wanted names. And asked if it was valid. They might not know some of the other names. I've seen all of their faces. They all meet with Piper every, well today actually. It's Thursday. They meet today, Tuesdays, and Sundays. I could've sworn there are at least four Aphrodite girls that have felt our brothers's little...games." Jack explains. "They tried it with Piper and ended up in the infirmary with dagger slashes and scorch marks. Jason wasn't too happy."  
"I wouldn't imagine that he would be. How long have you two been here?" I ask.  
"Jack got here two years ago and I arrived around five months ago. Clarisse explained everything to me and said only to follow Jack's orders when she wasn't around and steer clear of our other brothers every chance I got." Owen answers for him and Jack.  
"Ah, so you weren't here when I was. How has the camp fared in my wonderful absence?" I ask sarcastically.  
"Honestly, everyone was depressed until you showed your face. Apparently, no one teaches swords but Clarisse since you yells at anyone who doesn't do what you can, including herself. What was with the toilet water thing?" Jack asks curiously.  
I burst out with laughter and almost roll on the ground. My laugh is booming and carries across the camp. "I advise...not asking...your sister...on that one." I managed to get out in between my snickering. "First time I was able to get up after having things explained to me, she tried to bully me in the bathroom. At the time I didn't know I was a son of the sea and she ended upgetting wet with her cronies. More like soaked, but she and I became best friends after awhile. Now we aren't. Long story short. She doesn't like my bathroom references."  
They look at me with disbelief and start giggling like little school girls. I grin and they look at me suspiciously. "Who knew I could get along with more than a couple Ares offspring. Your dad wasn't a big fan of mine, I've got his blessing now. I don't understand to this day, but whenever he sees me on rare occasion, he demands I fight him in a duel for his amusement because no one matches his 'completely awesome skill on the battlefield' and he is super bored with the bickering and just wants wore or something close to a fight." I use air quotes and thunder booms, but it sound irritated. "Yeah, yeah. I know, I'll fight you later crabby. Anyways, want to help me make my rounds?" I jerk my thumb back at the cabins over my shoulder.  
"Definitely." Jack nods.  
"You should know, most of them are newer campers like Jack and I. Our brothers were bored with the older campers and enjoy 'fresh meat.'" Owen tells me in a quiet voice. I growl again and he flinches back.  
"They won't survive my training by the end of the day. I can promise you that. I'll make sure it puts them in the infirmary for a very long time. And after they wake up, I'll make the next regiment harder." I start to glow with a silvery-white light.  
"Calm down, Percy!" Jack yells in a whispered tone.  
I diminish the glow and they look at me nervously. "Hmm..." I start thinking over a few details on how to approach the girls. My foot starts tapping.  
"Can I ask you a question?" Owen asks me innocently.  
"Of course, young one." I nod at him.  
"How are you so good at all these weapons?" Is his question.  
"I've been wondering about that myself. Clarisse said she saw little pieces of it in the meeting you held, but she wouldn't tell us more than that." Jack adds.  
"Ah, I was down in Tartarus. Here I would train in secret with some other weapons other than my sword. But down there, they wanted me for my skills and improved them greatly. They trained me mercilessly. Then they tortured me to where my new stamina could endure it. So I could never escape. I was always exhausted and I could do nothing with the hordes of monsters they surrounded me with or held me with the power-draining Celestial bronze chains." I tell them, letting it sink in.  
"Wait, so they trained you? Why?" Jack asks.  
"They wanted me to lead their armies to victory when they were able to rise again. So they made me fit enough to endure anything except the new games they invented for me. Once I got used to those...they'd get creative. I can withstand any painat this point. I'm a master in anything battle related. Like I told all of you, it is a wonder how they kept me alive under the pressure my body and soul went through." I sigh.  
"How does it feel..to go through that?" Owen asks.  
"Oh, I can't really tell you that anymore. I lost all ties once I became an official Guardian. But, what I used to feel...I guess you could say I was more than a little suicidal and depressed. At the wishes of others I remained in this world." I smile at them. "Do not worry children, I am absolutely fine."  
"Why do you refer to us as children?" Jack asks.  
"I'm older than you think, remember?" I prompt him.  
"That's right. Sorry." Jack facepalms and I chuckle.  
"Indeed." I say.  
"Why do you speak like that? Aren't you, like, I don't know, from this era?" Owen asks curiously.  
"When you spend what feels like an eternity with ancient beings and the Hunters that have more than a few girls who are a lot older than they look, it rubs off on you. Artemis loves old English. Being bonded to her only reinforces the way I use it. I still speak like my teenager self from my age if I'm really excited. I suppose you could say I've deteriorated to using the language that was used at the age I am currently at." I snort. "Other than that I stil have that same mindset. Immortalized at a tenager age doesn't help my brain one bit." I shake my head.  
"All they ever talk about when they refer to you was how stupidly brave you could be. You sound pretty wise to me." Jack says.  
This time I practically chortle with laughter. "Me wise, eh? Athena's blessing and older people definitely have rubbed off on me then. Hestia's blessing is peaceful, but does almost nothing to quell my anger and Ares's blessing reinforces it. Hera's...well. Hera's is in between. Family is confusing and marriage can be hectic and Aphrodite's blessing doesn't help the wreaking havoc side of love. I'm mixed whenever I come near this place. Seeing people like you helps I suppose. Perhaps I should hang around you more." I chuckle at their faces because they are still flabbergasted at my explanation.  
"You're definitely the most powerful demigod of this age, maybe ever." Owen says.  
"Well if you believe that, then I should tell you I haven't been a demigod in a little over two years now." I smile lightly at them. "Just found out I've been fully immortal. The gods neglected to mention that little detail when I escaped with Athena." I sigh. "Sometimes I don't know how they don't off each other whe nthey argue over who kept which secrets from what god or goddess that week. Honestly, they are worse than middle schoolers at lunch. Hestia is the only one who never argues. Thank Zeus for that. Milady doesn't ever get worked up, so I sit by her whenever I'm in the throne room."  
"What all do they argue about?" Jack asks.  
"Hera and Zeus argue over his affairs. Poseidon and Athena over whose children are better. Ares and Hephaestus over Aphrodite. Aphrodite with Demeter over cereal and love. Artemis and Apollo over who is older. Dionysus and Hades over whether or not letting ghosts drink wine as a summoning of the dead thing being a good idea. Hermes just sits there talking on his phone or arguing with the snakes on his caduceus. Hestia and I just converse until one of us is called to attention." I roll my eyes and shrug.  
"Nice." Owen smiles.  
"Maybe. Once the meetings start they are, but until then, Hestia and I just talk about how I'm doing or something." I shrug.  
"Right. Should we go get the girls then?" Jack motions at the cabins.  
"Actually, I have an idea. Follow me." I motion them to follow me as I start to walk away.  
"Where are we going?" Owen asks when he reaches my right side.  
"Aphrodite cabin. We are visiting one Piper Mclean." I say and huff. She is going to assume as soon as she sees my face on the other side of the dam door. When we reach the goddess of love's cabin, I knock on the door quietly.  
After I hear rustling, the door creaks open and then widens, revealing a beaming Piper. I hold my hand up to stop her before she can say anything, she closes her mouth and frowns.  
"Is it true you help the girls traumatized by the elder Ares boys?" I ask her seriously and business-like.  
"Yes. Unfortunately, they have all been getting worse or just stay at a stalemate." Piper scowls at the ground, thinking about her meetings with the girl campers.  
"How many?" I ask her.  
She sighs heavily and her shoulders sag. "Too many. Almost twenty in couning. I expect more by the end of the week. Our numbers have-"  
"Bolstered?" I give her a good word, she seemed to be struggling to find a big enough word for it.  
"Romans too, but they don't have the Ares problem. I got Reyna to talk to me when I mentioned what was happening. The only time she doesn't glare at me is when we talk about that. I got her to accept some of the girls into the college in New Rome to get them away. But now they're back. And they have only worsened as they settle back in." She sighs deeper than before. "It'shard for me to help them. There are too many to have individual sessions with and Clarisse is busy trying to help run the camp and keep an eye on her brothers. I don't know what to do. We meet today to talk." Piper leans against the door frame.  
"I will come and give them an offer. What time are you meeting?" I ask in a monotone voice. I'm trying not to get angry thinking about how many girls have ben harmed by those boys.  
Piper brightens. "I think I know what you're going to ask and I wish we wouldn't lose any campers, but I fear it is for the best. It might help them more. We meet right after breakfast, we just go over to the campfire and we discuss things as a group. Thanks, Percy! They'll be so happy. Most have resigned to the fact that they shouldn't do much other than just live for their friends and families. I need to talk to you about some of them and their...conditions...before you see them though."  
"When? You want to explain now?" I ask her.  
"Yes. It might be the only time." She nods seriously.  
Jack and Owen smile and wave. They head back to their cabin.  
Piper closes the door behind her as she steps out. We walk to the beach and she sits down. I stand three feet away from her, back straight, arms crossed, and no expression on my face other than blank.  
"Those boys...they did more than just touch some of the older ones, they..." Piper rolls her hand in the air, much like Artemis had done earlier. My eyes widen.  
"How many?" I ask in anger.  
"Out of the just over twenty girls I try and help, five of them were harmed in that way. They were left in the forest. Jack, Owen, or Jason finds those ones. Though, some girls have gone missing recently and I want Jason to go in and check." Piper admits.  
"How recently?" I ask in shock.  
"Over the past couple of days. Only two are missing that I can think of. Clarisse is going in tomorrow to help me look. We were going to ask your permission to be excused from your casses to go look." Piper explains.  
"No need. Will you inform Lady Artemis that I am currently searching the forest for maidens?" I ask.  
"Absolutely. Right away. Thank you." She runs off and I dart into the forest.  
I hop from tree branch to tree branch. I run and jump through them like an animal. Finally I land on the ground and shift into a wolf. I howl and wait for the pack I saw earlier to show up.  
Verick comes bounding in with his pup, Zazel at his side. She easily keeps pace. There are eight of them in total.  
What is it you require of us, Guardian? Verick asks me in a polite and respectful tone. Thank the gods he doesn't bow. I think he senses I do not like it, good. I like him more and more.  
I need two find two young maidens. But they may not be maidens. They have been horribly shaken and I have need of your skills to help me find them. I tell him.  
He growls and nods his head. It shall be done. We won't rest until they are found. Verick turns to the pack. Find two young demigod girls. Quickly! We must make haste!  
The wolves and I howl along with Verick. Zazel is sent with me to help me as Verick takes off like all the other wolves. Come, young pup. This will be an excellent way to prove yourself and earn a place of honor amongst your pack. I am well versed in my wolf side. I know everything.  
Yes, Guardian. I would love to help. She nudges me and we take off. I am amazed at her speed. She sniffs at the air like I do. We run for an hour and our heads snap in the direction of an awful stench, we turn and follow it. It leads us to one of the missing girls. Zazel bounds towards her and lands in her lap. I howl and it pierces the air. The demigod screams bloody murder. I shift as I hear answering howls.  
"Relax, dear child. I am here to help you. I found out you were missing and I asked my friends of the wild to help. I'm going to hand the Ares boys their asses when I get out of this forest." I snarl and crouch before her. She seems to be comforted by little Zazel curling up against her. She looks at me in fear.  
"Who are you? I've never seen you at camp before." The girl looks at me puzzled.  
"I am Percy Jackson. I have come with the Hunt." I tell her.  
"Aren't you the missing guy they talk about?" She asks.  
"Indeed I am. How long have you been out here?" I ask.  
"Two days." She answers after thinking about it and her stomach growls. She blushes, but I hand her a canteen of water while I search for food.  
"That is all I have. How do you fare, child?" I ask her concernedly.  
"I can't walk without getting dizzy. I haven't made it very far. I'm too scared of the monsters that creep around." She starts to cry and I come over to her. Zazel is licking the tears away.  
"Then I will carry you. Zazel, help find the other one. I cannot smell in my human form as well as I can in my wolf form." I look down at her.  
She barks and starts sniffing around the trees and looks at me and bounces on her paws. "Go. Howl when you find her." She takes off in a direction to my right. I lift the girl into my arms and she clings to me as she sips the water. "What is your name?" I ask as I head after Zazel.  
"Tiffany." The girl sniffles.  
"That's a very pretty name, Tiffany." I smile at her.  
"Thank you. How did you know I was here?" She asks quietly.  
"Piper realized you were missing and I started searching right away. Thank the gods I found you. Clarisse was coming tosearch after breakfast, but apparently Piper wasn't sure how long you were gone. I was worried about you. Another girl is missing as well. My little friend and the rest of the pack she is in is out looking for her as we speak." I answer.  
"I thought boys didn't travel with the Hunt." She brings up what I mentioned to her before.  
"I am the Guardian of the Hunt and Moon. I am the only male currently traveling with them. My duties lie in saving people like you and protecting them and all that. I am bringing you and the other girl before Artemis to be healed and she will offer you something. It is a choice." I tell her.  
"What kind of choice?" Tiffany asks curiously.  
"Stay at camp, return to the mortal world, try to get into the legion, or start a new life without boys. A life of maidenhood. She will ask you to join the Hunters." I say softly.  
I look down at her and silent tears wash the dirt off her face. "I'm not a maiden anymore." She starts sobbing into my chest.  
"What if I told you you could be?" I ask gently.  
"W-what?" She asks, drying her eyes and trying to stop her little fit of emotion.  
"As goddess of maidenhood, she can restore what was wrongfully taken from you. I can as well, being her Guardian, but I think you would prefer it if she did it. Even if you didn't join, she would probably restore it because you didn't want it to happen. Did you fight back?" I say.  
"I tried, but some of them had me pinned and I'm not that strong. Thrashing just made them laugh and it also made it worse. Can she really give it back to me?" She asks.  
"Absolutely." I tell her sincerely. I hear a howl and recognize it as Zazel's. "Hang on. She is far off." I hold Tiffany tighter to me and as she nods, I take off in the direction of Zazel. She was somewhere far to my left.  
After running for about ten minutes, I came upon Zazel. As I came to stand beside her, she howls as loud as she can, calling her family. The girl demigod Zazel found in hunched against a pine tree in a little ball. She is shaking and Zazel doesn't approach her like she did with Tiffany. She sits on her haunches as I walk slowly towards the girl.  
"He only wants to help. He found me with his little friend. He wants to help you." Tiffany tells the girl and she stops shaking. She looks at me warily.  
"Can you stand young one?" I ask her in a quiet voice, so I don't seem threatening.  
She nods and uses the tree to get up. She hesitantly walks over to me. I crouch down to her level. "How long have you been here?" I ask nicely.  
"A day, I think." She ansers in a little girl, barely audible tone. She can't be older than nine. That just makes me sick. I am so killing Ares for his devil spawn.  
A shiver runs down my spine as I think what I must ask her. "And did they...?" I shake my head, I cannot ask her that question.  
"Did they do anything to you?" Tiffany asks for me. I look at her gratefully and she smiles at me and turns back to the litle girl.  
"Yes." The little girl whispers.  
"What is your name, child?" I ask in a softer tone than before.  
"Etna." She answers.  
"Well, Etna. Would you like a drink?" I ask her and smile.  
Her eyes light up. "Yes, please!" She says excitedly. Tiffany hands her the canteen and she chugs down the last of the water. She hands the canteen back to Tiffany. A faint blush dusts her cheeks. "Thank you." She whispers.  
"You are most welcome. Come, dear. I will help you back to camp." I say.  
"No! I don't wanna go back!" She starts crying.  
"I'm not letting any other boys touch you without incinerating them to ashes." I tell her gently and she looks at me.  
"Then why are we going back?" She asks.  
"Because the one I came with is there and so are my sisters. We help girls like you and Tiffany. I take you back so Lady Artemis can ask you a question. Would you like to meet her?" I say sweetly.  
"You mean the Moon goddess?" Etna asks sheepishly.  
"Yep. That's the one. She's the best person you could ever meet in your lifetime and she loves to talk with girls like you two. She can give back what those boys stole." I look her in the eyes and she starts crying again. She holds her hands to eyes trying to keep the tears from coming out. "It's alright child. All will be fine. Do you want me to carry you?" I ask.  
She nods and I turn around. "Hop on and hang on." I tell her. She climbs onto my back and I straighten as the wolves bound in. "Will you come with me back to the cabin, my brothers and sisters?" Verick nods and the wolves surround me. As we walk through the forest, they play around us.  
"Am I allowed to pet them?" Etna asks after awhile.  
I stop and let her climb down. Verick comes up to her and bumps his nose against her left hand. She squeals in delight and starts petting him. He lays down and looks at me expectantly. I chuckle. "Only if you want to. He wishes you to ride him child." I tell Etna. She beams and climbs on him slowly. When she's settled, he rises and we continue walking.  
"Thank you. What is your name?" She pets the Verick's fur between his shoulder blades as he strides.  
"His name is Verick, dear one." I chuckle.  
"It's pretty. I like it." She cooes at him and he has a deep rumbling in his chest as she scratches between his ears. Then she looks at me. "What's yours mister?" She inquires.  
"Percy Jackson." I say. "Yes, I am the missing camper." I tell her before she can ask.  
Tiffany laughs lightly. "'Missing,' is not the word they use to describe you."  
"And how do they characterize me, miss Tiffany?" I implore.  
"They refer to you as, 'the betrayed one.' Brave, crazy, loyal, and sometimes stupid." She shrugs a little.  
"Greatest swordsman of your time." Etna adds.  
"Oh, wonderful. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside." I say sarcastically and roll my eyes.  
"I heard it was bad. Mainly from Piper." Tiffany replies to my tone.  
"Who are your godly parents?" I ask.  
Tiffany answers first. "Aphrodite. I'm thirteen."  
"I'm nine and my mommy is Hecate." Etna answers.  
My posture stiffens as my suspicions of Etna's age is confirmed. My anger swoops to new heights and I wear a grim expression. Tiffany takes in my actions and looks me in the eyes. She mouths, "It disgusts me too." I nod, not trusting myself to speak nicely.  
I would just teleport us, but I didn't want to. I walk so that they can calm down before they meet Artemis and so they can adjust to my presence easier. After I calm down enough to talk in a kind tone, I ask them questions. "How hungry are you?"  
"I could eat a calvary of horses." Tiffany whines.  
"I could eat the entire grocery store." Etna tells me.  
"What is your favorite food?" I ask as something occurs to me.  
"Bacon." I chuckle at Etna's reply.  
"Chocolate chip muffins." Tiffany says, her eyes going all dreamy.  
I snap my fingers under Tiffany's weight and a couple muffins appear in her lap and bacon appears in both of Etna's hands. "Forgot I could summon food. There ya go. Eat up. I'll feed you more as we speak with Lady Artemis."  
They gobble down the last of their food when we break through the trees. The moon still shines brightly, but I sense it is almost dawn. I smile evilly, this will be so much fun when I see those boys. I lead them and the wolves to the Artemis' cabin and when I get ther, Etna opens the door from Verick's back. The wolves, the girls, and I all file in and everyone is still up, with the lights on, and worry is cast upon their faces. And their expressions darken when they see the states of the girls I bring with me.  
I lay Tiffany on my bed and I look her in the face. "Will you allow me to heal you?"  
"Yes. Thank you." Tiffany smiles at me.  
I smile back with a small one of my own. I hover my hands above her and summon Hestia's blessing. My hands glow with a warm light, hope and peace radiate from them. I set one of my hands on her head and my other one moves from bruise to scratch to bruise. My eyes fill with worry when my hand comes to rest on her legs. "Dear god of Olympus, what did they do, break them?" I whisper in disbelief and my hands glow brighter. I feel her knees shift back into place and she winces. "Sorry." I glance at her face and she nods with her jaw clenched. When her right ankle and left shin are mended back together, I help her sit up. Phoebe comes forward with a bowl of water and a towel and I nod to her.  
Verick is laying at the foot of the bed that Etna now lays on. Her eyes drooping drowsily. The rest of the pack lay at Artemis's feet. I walk over to Etna and I ask her, "May I heal you?"  
"Yes." She yawns sleepily. I smile at her sleepy face and she smiles back. "You're really nice, mister." She whispers as she goes under. I place my hand on her head and heal her, luckily she only has a few bruises and it's less painful for her than it was for Tiffany.  
Thalia comes over with the same supplies as Phoebe has for Tiffany and I tell her, "She might be more traumatized at such a young age. Be gentle, she might wake upif you aren't." Thalia nods seriously and starts wiping off the grime.  
"Percy." Tiffany calls my name.  
"Yes, young one? What do you need?" I smile at her as I turn to face her.  
"Can I speak to Artemis now?" She asks quietly.  
I chuckle. "She is right here." I gesture at the seventeen year old across the room from me. "She stays at my age level for some reason." I laugh.  
Artemis shoots me a playful glare and rolls her eyes. She rises from the bed she is on and walks over to Tiffany.  
"My lady, Percy has told me you can restore my maidenhood, is it true?" Tiffany asks nervously.  
Artemis turns to me in shock and points at Etna. I nod with a grim expression on my face. She gets a look of absolute hatred and the Hunter's expressions aren't too far off. They are practically at the super loathing level compared to Artemis and I.  
Artemis turns back to Tiffany, her face softening. "I can. Would you like to join me in the Hunt?" She asks Tiffany.  
"I would love to, my lady. I refuse to go near any boys, but Percy." She states in a matter of fact tone. "I will only tolerate being here until we leave."  
Artemis smiles at her, Tifany takes her vows, Artemis blesses her, Tiffany introduces herself, and stands with the help of Phoebe. Tiffany smiles gratefully at the two. "Thank you, milady. And thank you Percy." I grin at her.  
"You'll love it in the Hunt. My Moon, I have to deal with the fiends who have wronged these girls. You and I have a meeting with Piper Mclean dealing with other girls who have been terrorized by them after breakfast. There are a great many. You may watch as I deal with the fools who dare harmed the maidens." I growl out the last sentence.  
"I shall accompany you then." She grins evilly.  
"Verick, would you mind if you and your pack helped guard over Etna while she sleeps and bring her o me when she wakes?" I ask the wolf. He nods and the pack comes to rest at the bed Etna sleps soundly on. The rest of the ack fals asleep as Verick remains awake as a sentry. I hold out my arm to Artemis. "Shall we go?"  
She slips her arms through mine and we walk out of the cabin door as I open it for her. I lead her down to the Arena. We come to stand in the middle of it and the sun starts to shine weakly at the edges of the sky. The Ares boys, including Jack and Owen, come in and Jack and Owen run for me.  
Jack smiles at me. "Guess what Clarisse did to them." Jack tells me excitedly.  
I shake my head and smile. Artemis looks at me strangely.  
"Artemis, I would like you to meet the only two decent boys in the Ares' cabin. Jack and Owen. The only innocent ones in these happnings." I point to both of them and Owen waves a little at Artemis.  
Owen turns to me. "Clarisse wouldn't let them sleep a wink when they got back. Jack and I got catnaps as the girls practically pummeled them to a pulp. It was peaceful music to our ears." He grins.  
I snort. "Always was Clarisses's style. I appreciate that little detail. It'll make this all the more enjoyable for me."  
Jack notices Artemis has her arms linked with my one while my other one rests at my side. She hangs on my left side. "Uh, no offense Percy, but isn't she a maiden goddess?" He asks.  
"Yes. Do not worry, it is fine." I tell him and he relaxes. "I forgot to ask, though. How long have they ben doing this to the girls?"  
Jack's face hardens to steel and Owen stops smiling. "Sometime last year. Derek got them into the habit of it. But he himself only rarely participates, seeing as how he is busy trying to take over the camp. Apparently he did when you were here, but once you disapeared, I guess people snapped out of it and won't listen to him. Not even the new campers. I hate him." Jack tells me.  
I nod. "Listen up!" I shout to the devil spawn. They all come rushing before me. Maybe I sounded like Ares when he was really pissed off, but I'm way past that level on the angry scale. "I want twenty laps of dead sprints around this whole, entire, includes around the forest, I can sense you, so if I know you're not sprinting, I'll make you regret it." I whistle and three of the eight wolves of the pack bound over to me from the cabin once someone opens the door for them. They tilt their heads at me expectantly. "They will run at your heels the entire time. They'll snap at you if you slow down even in the slightest. I suggestyou keep your adrenaline pumping. The only time you'll get a break is if I am merciful enough to let you have a sip of water. Once you are done, get back here immediately for your next stage in improving your attitudes and behaviors. In a way, you're getting far worse than what Derek did from the hunters. I suggest you start running." I say in an annoyed tone. The wolves take off after the boys as they run away at my command.  
"I'm guessing you're doing a fraction of what happened down there, aren't you?" She pokes my cheek.  
"Yes I am. They'll wish they'd never be born. I am tired, my Moon. But I stay awake to continue my duties. I will meet with the gods tomorrow.  
She smiles and nods. She gets a faraway look on her face and after a few minutes comes back to reality. "Father understands, he says to rest once night comes."  
I roll my eyes. "I doubt that'll happen. I'll do it when I crash onto my bed. Hopefully, I have a feeling this is going to be a taxing day. You must speak with Piper. She knows the situations better than I do."  
"We will stay here and watch for our brothers." Owen tells me and I smile at him.  
"Thank you." I say. Then my face darkens. "Call for me when they are back. I'm sure you can handle your brothers easily."  
"It would be our pleasure." Jack smiles sincerely at me. I nod and I lead Artemis down to the Aphrodite cabin.  
This time Artemis taps on the door and Drew answers. A sympathetic look comes on my face as I look at her. She looks so sullen and changed. She must be one of the girls the boys took advantage of and must be regretting being so mean. When she sees me she brightens a little bit, but sulks again immediately. "You want Pipes?" She asks, trying to be happy.  
"Yes please, dear." Artemis smiles brightly at her. Drew nods and leaves the door open while she goes to get Piper. She brings her back in three minutes, pushing her gently towards the door.  
"Drew! Who are-? Oh. Thank you, sister. I'll see you all at breakfast. Drew be careful this morning okay?" Piper looks at her in worry.  
"Okay, I'll try." Drew sniffs and tears well in her eyes. She heads into the bathroom of their cabin.  
Piper comes out of the cabin and shuts the door tightly. She shakes her head at the door with her hands on her hips. She drops her hands and turns to us. "How can I help?" Piper asks after she takes a deep breath.  
"Will you explain the situations to Artemis?" I ask her nicely. I see how worried she is.  
Her shoulders sag almost immediately. "Of course." She leads us to the bench by the basketball court and we sit her in between us. We smile encouraginly at her. She sighs. "Well, I lied to you Percy. More than just a few have been taken advantage of and were left in the woods. Did you find them?" She asks after telling me what she didn't want to say before.  
"Yes, some of my wild brothers helped me. One of my little wild sisters helped out the most. You can come out now Zazel." I chuckle as the little wolf comes out of the bushes behind us and jumps up into Piper's lap.  
Piper doesn't even flinch, she just pets Zazel. "Is this her?" Is all Piper asks.  
"Yep. That's Zazel. You have mainly her to thank for finding the poor girls. They are back in our cabin with the rest of the Hunt and pack." I tell her.  
"That's nice. I suppose you want to know how many I am referring to, but that's just it. Some girls don't come to the gatherings we have most of the time. I've managed to get them all to come today though. I don't know how many were taken advantage of. It is so hard to keep track that I've lost count. I just try and help them it's that bad. Jason had to stop one of the girls from offing herself at the beach." Piper chokes and starts crying.  
Artemis pulls her in for a hug and Piper sobs into Artemis's shirt. I rub Piper's back and try to soothe her with words. "It'll be alright Piper. They can't harm them anymore. I made sure of that already. And they are starting their punishment as we speak. Don't worry any longer. The hunters took care of Derek as you saw him. I don't think he will be able to touch another girl for a long while to come."  
It takes another five minutes of Artemis humming a lullaby to Piper for her to stop crying. She sits up straight, but leans against the bench for suport, deciding just to relax instead of bear the weight.  
"Thanks. Sorry. What do you mean they can't do it anymore?" She asks me, extremely curious and her eyes are sparkly with new hope.  
I snicker darkly. "I made them swear on the Styx not to touch a girl like that again without the girl's permission first. But they can still hit them. They haven't figured it out though."  
"Really?!" Piper hugs me and squeals like a little kid at Christmas. "That's wonderful news! Jason needs to know. Is he even awake?" She asks her self. She shakes her head. "How'd you get them to do it?" She turns to me again.  
"I can be terrifying if I want to you know. I'm not all sunshine and sparkles all the time." I tell her. I crack a smile and she giggles.  
"You are never sunshine and sparkles." Artemis tells me, her hands on her hips. Uh-oh.  
"Not my fault." I look away whistling like I did nothing at all.  
"It could've been solved if you would've opened up earlier." She argues with me.  
"Maybe." I stretch the word out. Piper looks back and forth between us.  
"Did I miss something? Or should I just go?" She looks at us and makes her decision. "I'll go then. I will tell Jason the awesome details. See ya!" She says and runs off to the clutter of the cabins.  
"You were so dark your first year it's a wonder you're like this, even with the Moon's help." Artemis raises her voice.  
I put my hands up in front of me. "I was not dark. I was in denial of my life." I state simply.  
"It was a pretty crappy denial. And you should have been the worst possible mess, not perfectly sane." Artemis inches towards me. She stands up and I stay seated.  
"It's hard to be insane when you know it is all real like that." I tell her in defense.  
"That's exactly why!" She yells.  
"My lady-" I try.  
"Stop calling me 'lady!' You are of equal importance! Stop being so formal!" She screams.  
"Calm down. You're getting worked up over nothing." I say to try and get her to settle down.  
"Calm down? Calm down?! You are not nothing, Perseus Jackson!" She shrieks.  
"That's not what I-" She cuts me off.  
"That's exactly what you meant!" Her voice raising even higher. The campers have all gathered for the little spectacle and the Hunters were trying not to laugh while trying to be serious.  
"Artemis, I don't understand why you're so mad." I tell her.  
"Why am I mad? Because you can't see how much of a kind and gentle soul you are to have gone through all of what you did! You won't believe in yourself and you won't let anyone help you! It took us a year to get you to stop being so depressed!" She hisses loudly. "A whole year! And then it took us two more just to get you to be happy in the slightest!"  
"I am happy now, that is all that matters." I say defiantly. I'm standing now.  
"No! We are talking about this! Why were you so down?!" She says, glaring up into my face, searching for signs.  
"I was not down. I was perfectly normal after what had transpired." I say.  
"Why were you down, Perseus Jackson?" Everyone can still hear her.  
"I wasn't." I state, trying to keep my rage bottled up.  
"Why. Were. You. So. Down?" She demands with her voice raising further.  
She pushes me past the breaking point. "Because before I had another purpose I felt hollow inside! I couldn't see anything colorful anymore and I was doomed forever to be a part of that place!" I yell. Then in a quieter voice, "Okay? I couldn't bear allthe happiness you shoved in my face all the time. I couldn't take the hope of Hestia because I had none and I never wanted to be whole after all of that. The motherly love of Hera because the pain of lsing my mother was too much for me to handle. I was drowning in all of your good emotions and it only made it worse. The world had everything god drained out of it in my eyes. Is that what you want to hear?" I whisper and look down.  
She raises my chin and makes me look at her. "Yes. It's exactly what I wanted to hear. Even if it does hurt to know how you finally feel."  
She won't let me look away. "I'm sorry. I should have kept quiet." I whisper, tears forming in my eyes. "I've hurt my Moon. Forgive me."  
Her silver eyes flare with anger. "There is nothing to forgive. I'm glad you told me. No secrets, remember?" She says quietly.  
She wraps her arms around me and pulls me close to her. I hug her back, silent tears running into her hair from my eyes. "But if it hurts you to know then I have failed in my job to protect you." I tell her.  
"No, I demanded an answer that you should've already told me. You swallowed your pride and told me against your will. Will you tell me now?" She asks.  
"Yes." I reply. Her embrace tightens and she buries her head in my chest.  
"You know they are all watching?" She murmurs into me.  
"Yes. I noticed earlier. I believe your shouting caused it. They only heard your side of the conversation for the most part." I chuckle into her hair.  
"The Hunters might kill you." She says in a muffled sing-song voice.  
I peer over at my sisters and see them smiling. "I highly doubt that. They're faces might permanently wear those grins of theirs forever if they keepgoing like that. Besides, they have to find out sooner or later." I tell her. I see Zazel at Thalia's feet. Etna is riding Verick again. Tiffany is at Phoebe's side, glowing with her newfound blessing.  
"Yes, but it will be like giving a new bomb to Hephaestus. It'll blow up out of proportion." She laughs nervously.  
"Look who's afraid now." I tease her. She zaps me with moonlight and I let out a small yelp. "That felt weird. What are you doing?" I ask.  
"Did it tingle?" She asks.  
"Yeah. It felt weird. What did you do?" I ask.  
"I shot one of your tattoos with moonlight. Your body is jumpy when I do that." Artemis giggles.  
"That isn't funny. It felt like my heart restarted and I'm fuzzy all over." I say seriously.  
"Should I do it again?" She pulls away wiggling her fingers at me.  
I stiffen and she notices it and chuckles. "Definitely not, I feel like cotton."  
"That's because I touched your back with it." She tells me, laughing at my facial expression.  
"And if I touched you with it?" I hold up my hand and grin mischievously at her.  
"You wouldn't." She stares at me, frightened.  
"Oh, yes. I certainly would. This means war." I laugh loudly and touch her back with it she yelps and jumps away. We both hold moonlight in our hands and we start runnning around like crazy trying to hit each other with it.  
"Percy!" She yells when I hit her with moonlight in the back again. I just laugh loudly. Then she hits me with some in my chest and the feeling doubles.  
"That feels different! What in the Hades?" I yell at her and she giggles hysterically.  
"Why are you trying to kill each other?!" I hear Chiron yell in fear.  
"Not killing!" I yell, ducking under a beam of moonlight. It crashes into the Artemis' cabin and it absorbs it.  
"Just trying to prove my point!" Artemis says.  
I lob another ball of moonlight at her. "Waht point is that?!" I ask incredulously.  
She tosses a shaft of moonlight at me, dodging my orb. "That you are so going to feel like that all day if you keep antagonizing me."  
I catch the shaft and hurl it back at her. Her eyes widen. "Antagonize you? You started it!" I yell back.  
She dissolves the moonlight and tackles me to the ground. She holds moonlight next to my right shoulder. "And I'm finishing it." She laughs like she's won.  
"You sure?" I ask with a grin on my face. I light my hand and grab onto hers. She tries using the other one but I do the same thing.  
"How are you doing that?" She asks, trying to push back.  
"Doing what? Fighting against not feeling like cotton?" I ask her, keeping her at bay.  
"No." She shakes her head. "Holding me back so easily. It's like your a moon god."  
"Uh...I don't know. Are you trying?" I say.  
"Not really. You?" She says, increasing the amount of moonlight. I can tell we are both feeling the tingling surging through our bodies.  
I shake my head at her and my hands light further. Then I get a thought and I smile evilly. She sees it and looks at me like she knows what I'm thinking. " What would happen if I touched you with starlight?" I ask curiously, but I put innocence in my voice.  
"You wouldn't dare." She says.  
I chuckle heartily and the light in my hands swirls as it changes into starlight. She squeaks and tries to get away. I hold her where she is and she's trying to pry her hands away from me, but she's laughing. "Percy! Stop it! It feels even weirder!" She yells, but she won't stop laughing. Neither will I.  
"Your fault. You pushed me to this point." I laugh harder as the starlight increases with the moonlight. As it increases the light leaves our hands and shoots up into the sky. "What the..." Is all I manage before the sky brightens and something starts falling toward us from the light. I push us to our feet and set Artemis away from me as I catch whatever fell out of our light. It's a body. "Oh my gods..." I whisper.  
"Is tha?" Artemis whispers.  
"It is." I answer.  
"Why did it fall out of our light in the sky?" She asks, coming up to me.  
"Um...my animal spirit maybe?" I suggest and shake my head.  
"How can a wolf be created from our light?" Artemis whispers.  
"I have no idea." I tell her. "But...I feel...connected to it somehow." I tell her. "Why is it so big?"  
"Try healing it. It's breathing. Maybe it's hurt." Artemis tells me.  
My body glows with Hestia's power and I direct it towards the wolf's body. It...has no name. I can't sense it's name because it has none. Suddenly, the wolf is healed and I am blown back into the Apollo cabin. I step out of the smoking pile of rubble. I am beyond mad. I can tell my eyes and Brand are glowing white. My body is surrounded by a silvery-white aura. The wolf manages to stand where I dropped it and looks at me strangely. It realizes that my healing it threw me back and it sits down. It looks at me expectantly and I shake my head. My aura dissipates and I calm down slowly but surely.  
I feel more drained than I should. What happened? Did healing the wolf take that much or was I oblivious to my state this morning? I start to fall backwards and the wolf bounds towards me. It turns into a human girl and catches me. She lays me on the ground and puts my head in her lap. "Who-" I start to ask.  
"Ssshh. Rest. You are tired. Thank you for bringing me to life young friend." She speaks in a silky rich voice.  
"Who are you?" I ask in a quiet voice. My eyes are heavy.  
"I have a feeling you know I have no name to go by." She smiles at me kindly.  
"Why not?" I ask as I breathe in slowly.  
"Because you are meant to name me. Do it when you wake." She says.  
I shake my head. "I cannot sleep now." I fight against the force trying to push me down.  
"You are very stubborn. I guess I'll have to get used to it. Breathing life into me almost completely drained you." She giggles.  
"Why can you switch forms like I can?" I ask as Artemis comes to sit by my head.  
"Because you can." She answers.  
"What does that have to do with anything?" I cough out.  
"Well, I was created by your starlight, you tell me." She smiles.  
"Artemis's moonlight helped." I tell her.  
She shakes her head. "No, her moonlight only deflected your starlight upwards. She was trying to get the upper hand. It was your starlight that created me."  
I look over at Artemis, who is smiling at me sheepishly. She shrugs and smile wider. "At least the result was a new friend."  
I roll my eyes, but smile like an idiot.  
"Name me." Our new friend says suddenly.  
"What?" I ask.  
"If you're not going to sleep, name me." She looks at me.  
"No, I meant, what do you want to be named?" I look up at her and she gets a confused look.  
"I don't know, come up with one. I'm your wolf. Or is it human? Thing? I'm certainly not a werewolf." She thinks it over.  
"No, you're a shifter like I am." I tell her.  
"A shifter? Is that the term used to describe us?" She asks.  
"According to Athena, yes. How about I name you...Delilah?" I ask her.  
"I think it is a beautiful name." Artemis chimes in.  
Delilah nods and smiles. "Okay, Percy. I'll be called Delilah."  
"How do you know my name?" I ask, weirded out.  
"I know everything you know." She tells me uneasily.  
I sigh. "What's wrong?"  
"Well, I kinda don't want to be in this place after seeing your memories." She says in a whisper quiet voice.  
"It is fine. So, since you are practically the thing keeping my head from hitting the ground, thank you." I chuckle. "You have all my memories, eh? Cool. Can I get up?" I look at her.  
"Are you sure?" Delilah asks me, turning serious.  
"When am I never?" I ask.  
Artemis sighs. "I definitely picked a stubborn fool."  
"Indeed you did, milady." Delilah nods seriously, but she smiles down at me.  
"Hey! I can hear you both you know!" I complain.  
"You were meant to." Artemis giggles at my reaction, clearly what she wanted.  
"Why must you provoke me today, my Moon?" I grumble.  
"Because it's fun." She takes my hands while Delilah holds me up by my shoulders. Artemis pulls while Delilah pushes and I am up on my feet.  
"Whoa, head rush." I stuble back slightly holding my head. Artemis holds me to her side and chuckles. Delilah comes befoe me and takes my hands.  
"I shall help you." Delilah says and she uses the blessing of Hestia as she heals me.  
Artemis is stunned. "How did you do that? Percy is Hestia's only champion."  
"I do not have her blessing, but I am a copy of Percy's powers and emotions. I am not him, but merely an image of what hecould have been. I suppose that's a good way to put it. Maybe I should rephrase. I am much like the Protector of the Airia, except I am here to protect Percy. I am one of his symbols and the Fates can tell you why." Delilah explains.  
"What I could have been?" I ask in shock.  
Delilah shakes her head. "No, I explained it wrong that way. But I do have your powers and loyalty. But that is all. I am only loyal to you and whoever you protect."  
"Why would the Fates know?" Artemis asks. "I mean, how can they explain?"  
"Just a feeling." Delilah shrugs. She phases into a wolf and bounds around me. Her fur is silver with gray in swirl patterns in different patches of her fur.  
I shift into my wolf form and nuzzle Artemis's legs. I walk up to Delilah and brush against her is a brotherly way. She brushesback. We howl into the air and the wolves join in all over the place. Artemis walks up to us and crouches before us. A wolfish grin comes upon my snout. I lick her face.  
"Percy!" She giggles. I start laughing and lay down beside Artemis.  
"Artemis, why is young Perseus a wolf?" Chiron canters up to us.  
Delilah growls at Chiron and his horse half skitters backwards. Delilah nods and sits down on Artemis's other side. Artemis scratches between my ears. I lean into it and she smiles. A deep rumbling comes from my chest and she laughs. "It was a blessing of Zeus and even if he didn't want it, he would've gotten it anyway, being my Guardian." She explains to Chiron when he regains enough courage to come back.  
I look at her and she takes her hand away as I sit up on my haunches. I return to my human form and I am sitting next to Artemis with an arm over one of my knees. "It is very interesting to be a wolf. Delilah, how old are you?"  
Delilah shifts back. "Around fifteen minutes old." She laughs.  
"Alright." I nod and she shifts back. I summon food for her and she looks at me gratefully before eating it neatly.  
Suddenly we all hear, "Ow! Don't bite me!" A strained boy's voice comes from Thalia's Pine. I snort, it's Isaiah yelling at one ofthe wolves. The whole camp is laughing.  
"What's up with the idiots?" Jason asks.  
"That would be my Guardian." Artemis says. I stand and offer her my hand. She takes it and I pull her up.  
"How'd you get 'em to do it?" Jason comes over.  
I chuckle darkly and he looks at me. "I'm scary enough to frighten them and dish out their punishments after all that they have done. I do believe it is breakfast time." I say and Delilah's food disappears as she polishes off the rest of it. I lead Artemis by the hand down to the dining pavilion as everyone follows us.  
We all eat and the Hunters chat with Delilah.  
"You don't seem like Percy at all." Thalia tells her.  
"Nope. Different personality, but same flaw and experiences. I can answer any question you have about him though." Delilah replies to Thalia's statement.  
"Cool." Dahlia smiles at Delilah.  
"Oh, Etna. Did you want to join the Hunt?" I look at the small girl sitting on the other side of Artemis.  
"Yes! I'm tired of this place. It's ugly with the people in it." She crosses her arms. The wolves sit around our table. I had summoned food of their choice for them. Verick sits behind Etna chomping away on deer meat. It had to be cooked though so I could summon it.  
"Repeat after me child." Artemis turns so she is facing her.  
Etna takes her oath and the whole room grows quiet as Etna receives her blessing. I am the first to speak. "Congradulations, Etna, daughter of Hecate. Welcome to the family." I smile at her and use a soft tone. Etna hugs Artemis as she squeals along with the other girls. I look around the pavilion and see everyone turn away fom my stare.  
Chiron dismisses everybody for my training. I stand and say, "I have an announcement. Today, I am doing special training for a few...delinquants. If you have wish to train, I will be in the arena in about an hour. Hunters, if you want to train the campers in archery, I'm sure some of them have the courage." I smile at my sisters. "Verick, if they come to harm in my absence I want to see the perpetrator immediately." Verick nods as he and his pack follow the Hunters out and down to the archery range.  
The son of Mars I'm training in hand to hand comes up to me. "I will await you in the arena." He tells me and heads off in that direction.  
Piper comes up to me with a large group of girls. "You ready?" She asks Artemis and I.  
"Of course." Artemis takes my hand and Piper leads us all to the campfire. The girls spread out amongst the stands while Piper stands in the middle with Artemis and I.  
"The Guardian has come up with an idea for you girls. An offer. I agree with it, but you don't have to accept it." Piper declares loudly for them.  
She looks at me expectantly and the group turns their attention towards me. I smile kindly. I only recognize Drew and two others. "My proposition for you, is my offer to join the Hunt. You will be treated with respect, you will have honor, a new family, and you get to travel the world. You get to live forever and if you have had something stolen from you by those boys, then Artemis and I can restore it, whether you join the Hunt or not. If you want to join, come forward and Artemis and I will accept you into the ranks of the Hunters. Eternal maidens until you wish to be released fom your oaths or fall in battle."  
To my surprise, Drew is the first to step forward. She comes before Artemis and I. "May I join the Hunt, Lady Artemis?" She asks in a shaky voice.  
Out of the twenty-four girls there, including Piper, twenty-three joined, not including Piper. Artemis was vibrating with happiness. I blessed half while she blessed the other half. They all took their oaths and some were restored into their maiden selves. The girls were ecstatic at being able to leave. We now have over fifty huntresses. I'm pretty sure that in exact total, we now have 56 or 57 in number and thats not including Artemis or I. Oh I didn't count the four new ones, so that's around 60-61. Fun.  
Delilah comes bounding in and I ask her to take the new girls down to the archery range with Artemis. When they leave, I turn to Piper who is looking after them with a sad yet hopeful expression, even after they can't be seen. I clear my throat and she looks at me.  
"I believe you did the right thing. In the event of coming here, the Hunt has accepted 27 new members and only the ones who were upset at men. They will live long under my watch. I will not let them perish. I feel Artemis's cabin growing to accomadate the newer members." I tell her. "Thank you for your help." I bow to her.  
"What are you doing?" Piper asks.  
"I am honoring a person who has helped girls find a path to the domain of my Moon. You have made her happy and for that I am grateful. You gave me more family and my sisters will love the new company. So for that, I thank you." I tell her and straighten from my bow.  
"Percy?" Piper asks nervously.  
"Yes?" I ask her, raising an eyebrow.  
"Can you forgive me?" Piper asks in a shaky voice.  
I smile at her. "Since you have done me this wonderful favor, I will forgive you. You have the right to become my friend in time now. I must deal with the wretches who touched the girls now. I sense they near the end of the first little exercise I have given them and I am due at the arena. Feel free to drop by later or follow along if you wish. It doesn't matter. You are welcome to watch them get their just desserts."  
"I will accompany you. I want to see the result of the first...exercise you have given them." She laughs and hugs me. Then she pulls back quickly. After staring at her for a minute, I roll my eyes and she follows me to the arena.  
I walk in to find that they are just sprinting into it as well. They enter with the wolves on their heels. The wolves bound up to me, out of breath. I pet the three wolves and summon huge meals for them and water to go with it. They bark their thanks and dig into their chow. They wanted bear meat, cooked of course.  
The boys collapse and I laugh. "Up on your feet boys! Time for your next lesson!" I boom in a comanding voice I used in the wars.  
They groan and only eight of the ten get up. I storm over to the two who will not rise. I kick one so hard he slams against the wall and thedrag the other one to his feet, punching him in the gut. I drop him and he staggers, but remains on his feet.  
I look around to see the son of Mars. "Ah! My young friend! Would you like to train and help me punish the wicked?" He jumps down and comes before me.  
"It would be my pleasure." He smiles and we shake hands.  
"What is your name, friend?" I ask.  
"Raphael." He answers.  
"Great name for a son of Mars. Sounds vengeful and brave. Mine makes me sound ancient, but I would like you to not hold back on these imbeciles." I gesture at the Ares boys.  
"Thanks. What did they do in the first place?" Raphael asks.  
"They are the reason many joined the ranks of my sisters today." I tell him and he nods with a serious expression.  
Then he grins evilly. "It would be an honor to serve justice to the wicked side by side with the Guardian of Lady Diana."  
"The honor is mine." I smirk. "Hand to hand combat boys! Get it into gear! Jack and owen, would you take on a couple of your brothers for me? I'll take two and Raphael will take two." Jack and Owen smile at me. Luckily they had eaten breakfast because Clarisse brought them some. "Pick your opponents. I'll take Isaiah and the other eldest one."  
"I'll take the next two most powerful. I'll prove to Mars and Diana my worth and deliver justice on your behalf." Raphael decrees.  
"I got the next powerful." Jack says.  
"I'll take on the next one." Owen tells me.  
That leaves four left and I beckon Piper over. She comes up, smiling like I just made her day.  
"The rest of you are doing push ups until we are done with your brothers. Piper, if they fall, splash water over them and charmspeak them back up." She nods and screams at them to drop and start working once she gets them off to the side.  
~Two Hours Later~ "Finally can't move anymore, eh boys?" I look at my opponents. I look over to see the other ones dropto near dead. "Piper, could you get them to the water stand? You other four! Get over here! Same drill. Once they are done getting a swig of water Piper, make them do the same as their brothers." She grins and taps her foot while she charmspeaks them.  
Jason had wandered in while I was beating the crap out of Isaiah and his brother. Clarisse came in to check up regularly and cackled every time before she left to update Artemis for me.  
Raphael was improving faster without the harder obstacle, more like just right when he sparred two of his Greek was beaming with pride at my praises while I waited for the next opponent.  
After another two hours, The other four were finally at the water table getting a quick drink.  
"Alright pansies, sit down or die. I don't care. It's just about midday. If I'm right, then the conch horn for lunch will sound soon. Jack, may I borrow you for a moment?" I ask.  
Jack comes over. "Inform the nymphs and harpies that other than you and Owen, that the Ares boys are on a special diet on the order of the Guardian. They get half of what everyone else gets for a month. Nothing special whatsoever. They drink wateronly, no goblets." I tell him.  
Jack runs off and Raphael comes up. "That felt great. Thanks for letting me help and train. Will you help me in the sword after lunch?" He asks.  
"Of course. The boys will be busy running again. I'd be happy to teach you." I tell him and clap him on the back. He grins and runs off to find his cohort to show them his new skills. I shouted out new techniques for him to try over the period of the lessons.  
"Well, I learned how to shoot a bow properly from Thalia. She nearly shot me though. That was frightening. I was standing near her target, my fault completely." Jason says right behind me. I turn and face him. Piper comes up to him and holds his hand.  
"Wonderful job Pipes. Glad to see you can still go commando on people. Thalia is probably swamped with the rest of theolders hunters teaching the new recruits. You're lucky she had time for you, son of Jupiter." I address them both.  
Jason looks at my arm, "You still bear your SPQR tattoo?" He asks increulously.  
"Yes, well, number one it doesn't come off. Two, the Romans besides you did nothing to me and they never would. Three, I enjoyed my legionnaire time and realized I couldn't bear to part with it, even if it came off and they betrayed me. Mars addd another year of service to it when I beat him in ten consecutive duels." The corner of my mouth and one eyebrow twitch in annoyance.  
"How many bars do you have?" Jason asks.  
"Three. The extra one was from Juno for helping her a few times, I am her son you know. She turned to me for help and I gladly gave it. Such a sweet and loving woman." I sigh, thinking about my mother, Sally and how much Hera and Hestia remind me of her.  
Jason looks at me funny. "Hera is nice?"  
"You can ask your sisters. Well, you can ask Thalia, Artemis might castrate you, but not my point. Thalia visits Hera and Hestia with me. We do all sorts of fun stuff. Including pranking Zeus." I chortle.  
"Thalia gets along with the queen of the heavens?" Jason asksin disbelief.  
"Yeah. Hera loves Thals. She treats Artemis way better and Zeus spends more time with his wife now. Hestia's hearth is warmer thanks to Zeus having more time with Hera. Hades is more welcomed and Hestia is super jovial over that one. Athenamakes me draw her new designs for something she asks for and is always demanding for new material while she works withHephaestus. They still bicker a lt, but they've grown closer. So, if my mother and patron is happy, then I'm happy." I tell him.  
"You're kidding." Jason deadpans.  
"Not really. The Olympians like the new quality time as a family. The cold exteriors only come up when they face threats now. I really need to go over the Ancient Laws to find loopholes so they can spend more time with their non-immortal kids." I say.  
"I think it's wonderful. How's my mom?" Piper asks, beaming at me.  
"Oh gods, that woman annoys me to eternity. Every time I try to dress normal she zaps different clothes on me. One of these days it's going to be overdramatic. At present, she's giggling away over my situation and keeps muttering to herself about what she should do about Artemis. She is looking at so many different things trying to work out this huge project concerning Artemis and I. I'm worried for her sanity right now." I tell her.  
Piper stares at me then grins. "You mean-"  
"Don't say it out loud! Yes! I mean that. It is part of my job and I truly feel that way. So does Artemis. Which is why..." I take a deep breath. "I'm becoming a god." I breathe out in a big gust of air.  
"That's awesome." Jason grins at me.  
"Not really. I mean the god part isn't." I say, shaking my head.  
"Why not?" Jason asks me confused.  
"I only wish to be with my family, I have no need for more power other than to protect them. I don't want godhood. I'm onlyaccepting it for my Moon." I say.  
"When do you become one?" Piper asks while Jason stares at the ground thinking over what I just told him.  
"Tomorrow." I answer.  
The conch horn sounds. "I suppose I'll see you both after lunch." I say as a weird feeling comes over me. I yelp and turn to see Artemis giggling hysterically. "Artemis!" I whine. It just makes her laugh more. I roll my eyes and scoop her up, she gasps and looks at me funnily.  
"Percy, put me down!" She tries to squirm, but my grasp is stronger than Celestial bronze right now.  
"Nope. Not happening." I say as I light my hands with moonlight. She starts laughing. I walk into the dining pavilion with everyone staring at us. "Afternoon girls. How are we today?" I ask nonchalantly as I set Artemis down gently on an open space. The table had grown to adjust to the size of the Hunt. I see all the newer ones mixed in with all the more experienced ones. I plop down next to Artemis.  
"Good!" Phoebe and the older hunters exclaim. I chuckle.  
"That's nice. How's everybody settling in?" I ask the new members.  
"Everybody is great!" Drew exclaims with some of her old enthusiasm.  
Dahlia looks at me and her face turns serious. "How are those boys doing?" She asks.  
"So they have already rubbed off on you, huh? You'll see for yourself in a minte. They are attempting to make their way down from the arena now." I point. They were practically rolling down the hill. "I might have to increase the regiment a little early. Since they're passing with flying colors." I smirk and the Hunters and Artemis laugh.  
"You can be so evil, Percy." Thalia laughs harder.  
"Aw, thanks Thals. That means so much, I'm touched." I say, putting my hand to my heart. They break out laughing harder than before.  
"Thank you, Percy!" The newer ones scream at me and I have a look of shock on my face, then it turns into a small smile.  
"My pleasure." I say and we all dig in as the nymphs bring out our food. They even bring out food for the wolves who still reside at the Hunt's side.  
Everyone looks at the beat up Ares boys as they eat their portions. They had to sacrifice to Ares, so they have a third of what everyone else got. They gulp down their water bottles. Everyone turns to look at me as I eat my food. They look at medisbelievingly.  
"Don't give me that look. I've been through much worse. I disn't eat or drink for centuries and I trained even harder than they did. They're getting off easy." I say loud enough for everyone to hear and the Hunters snicker while Clarisse cackles. I look at Clarisse and I sense something coming off of her. I cock my head and turn to my food after thinking over it. Shaking off a feeling I had. I remember she lost Chris in the Giant War. She's fine now, but she still misses him.  
"Percy?" Delilah asks, she sits beside me in human form.  
I shake my head. "Do you feel it when you look at her?" I ask, nodding my head at Clarisse.  
"Barely. I forgot to tell you. I'm immortal like you are." Delilah says.  
"That's wonderful." I smile at her and Artemis beams at me.  
"I am your Wolf Companion. I searched through your memories and found the term I was looking for." Delilah informs me.  
"Does Ezekeiel have one? I thought he did..." I wonder.  
"Yes. His name was Danfin. He resides up in the place with them." Delilah says, pointing up. Thank Zeus she didn't say palace.  
"That's right." I nod.  
The Hunters are all giggling at something to my right and I look over to see the Ares boys laying their heads down on the table, snoozing like there is no tomorrow. Well, I'm finished with my food. I walk overto Chiron and Dionysus. They both smile at me, though Dionsus's is smaller because he is trying to concentrate on his wine magazine.  
"May I continue with my endeavors?" I ask them.  
"Of course, Perseus." Chiron says.  
"Very well, just make it funnier, I quite enjoy their state of minds at the moment." Dionysus chuckles and returns his undivided attention to the magazine. I chuckle as well and I head over to the Ares table. I lean down and my mouth is right next to Isaiah's ear.  
"I hope you know you aren't allowed to rest until I dismiss you." I say loudly and they all jolt up and almost jump at of their skins at the sight of me. They start quivering. I straighten with my hands behind my back. "Dear Clarisse, may I bother you to steal your brothers for their time?" I turn to her.  
She snickers. "Go for it." Jack and Owen scoot closer to Clarisse so their brothers can get up.  
"Hey, Raphael! Ya wanna learn the sword now?" I call over my shoulder as I shuffle the Ares boys out of the pavilion.  
"Yeah! Comin' Percy!" Raphael finishes his food and rushes over to me. We get the guys all the way to the arena. They look at me with pleading eyes.  
"That has no effect on me. The only ones able to pull that off are my mothers, Artemis, Thalia, and Phoebe. Looks like you kicked a puppy for the gods sake. You are to run ten more laps around the entire camp. This time, the whole pack is giving chase. With my Wolf Companion at their sides. Verick has asked me to let it be a test of the packs skills. I agreed wholeheartedly. He can be more merciless than meets the eye. Start running children!" I yell at them in my commanding voice and they take off with a bunch of wolves on their tails, pardon my pun.  
Raphael watches in amazement at the wolves as they dart off gracefully as a groupto 'hunt' down the fools they are chasing. You can hear the howling laughter coming fom the wolves. "Didn't you make them run twice as much this morning?" He chortles.  
"Yup." I pop the 'p.' "But they'll run faster than they did before because of the wolves and if they trip or something Verick wil just bite them and chase them until they catchup with the others. One pup already proved herself by helping me find a couple stray demigods, now it's the other pups who get to prove themselves as I teach the idiots. This is only the beginning for my brothers and sisters." I chuckle along with Raphael.  
"Can we start out with basics to make sure I've actually got the hang of them?" He asks me.  
"You betchya. You got your sword?" I inquire.  
"Yeah, let me go get it from the Big House." Raphael runs off.  
I stand there and as I wait for him, Clarisse comes up to me. "Dang, I hoped I wouldn't miss anything." Clarisse says laughing.  
"You aren't. They are currently somewhere in the forest. Running for their lives for awhile. Not much to see other than their terrified faces." I shrug and she smiles.  
"I want to thank you. I just don't know how I'll deal with father on this one." She sighs.  
"How many quests have you been on?" I ask her.  
"Over seventy. I'm one of the reasons we have tons of new campers, same goes for the Romans. It's why Reyna forgave me a little better." She answers tiredly.  
"How many has Isaiah been on?" I ask.  
"Barely two." She says angrily.  
"And Jack? Owen?" I ask her.  
"Jack has three and Owen has one." She says in a happier tone.  
"Would you like to know what I think on your chain of command matters?" I ask quietly.  
"Sure, I don't see why not." Clarisse says.  
"If Jack has more, all he has to do is challenge Isaiah." I say slowly.  
"What about me?" She asks me in shock.  
"Clarisse, would you like to join the Hunt?" I look over at her. She stares at me and doesn't answer for a long while.  
Raphael comes running in and he smiles as he sees Clarisse.  
"Percy, I would love to. I think I need a change of scenery. I need to step down. Jack will be able to handle it easy. Ares won't mind if his son roughs up his brothers. You're right." She huffs out a nervous air.  
"Then repeat after me sister." I smile at her and she takes her oath. I lay my hand on her shoulder and she glows silver.  
She hugs me tightly and runs off to find Artemis, I smile at her back. She knows I forgive her.  
"You ready Raphael?" I ask. I draw Riptide as I uncap it.  
"Call me Raph, Perce." He smiles at me as he brandishes his gladius.  
"You got it." I grunt as I attack him.  
I press him hard. I disarm him every time, but he manages against me a little longer each time. After a few hours, it takes me a few minutes before I'm able to disarm him. He keeps laughing with me as we fight time and time again. We take a water break and I pour water over myself. He follows my lead and ends up looking like a drenched, deranged cat. I snicker and he chuckles with me.  
"I'm glad you're taking the time to teach me. It means a lot. Reyna has told me that she finds my strategies brilliant and she needs someone with my mind by her side to help find the best possible ways to bring demigods to safety and defend against monsters. The smarter ones especially. I take a test every week to try and pass, but my fighting skills part is miserable. I can choose sword, bow, spear, or dagger. I always choose sword and lose." He sighs. "Now I think I can pass."  
"I think Reyna like you more than you think." I chuckle. "The way you said it just makes it seem that way."  
He blushes. "I admit I like her, but I don't think she likes me."  
"Did you not just hear me? I may have sworn off girls for awhile until Zeus went behind my back and released me, but I still know how to spot something like that." I laugh.  
"Should I ask her? I'm her age, but I just never made my way to the Wolf House for awhile, I guess my mother helped with that before she died. That's when Lupa came to get me." He admits and I looked at him shocked.  
"Seriously? Your mom must've been magic because you only have one bar and Reyna is my age. She's twenty dude, I think you hold the record for oldest demigod survivor of the outside. You are one lucky dog sir." I clap him on the shoulder.  
"I get my second bar tomorrow actually. You wanna come?" He asks.  
"Wouldn't miss it. I assume it's early in the morning." I tell him.  
"Crack of dawn man." He grins. "I heard you have the mark. How many bars do you have?" He asks.  
I hold up my arm in answer and his eyes widen. "Three. All out of heroic actions. Two quests and one honor. One as I was made praetor, but stepped down. One for dueling with Mars several times. The other with Juno as I completed a very difficult task for her. She's giving me a fourth one for the other one, just don't tell Reyna, she'll kill me." I hiss the last sentence.  
"As praetor she has to know, man. How are you going to break it to her?" Raphael looks at me in shock. I let my arm drop.  
"Dude, she will go balistic on me. It's bad enough she still hasn't attacked me for disappearing for three years. Provoking her just doesn't happen with Reyna. Not to mention Lupa might kill me." I tell him.  
"Yup, Lupa loves all her children." Raphael says.  
"What about me?" A female voice hisses behind us at the other entrance.  
I turn to find Reyna. "Oh, Styx." I curse.  
She storms over and takes the arm with the tattoo on it and she slaps me across the face after studying it. "Perseus Jackson!" She seethes.  
Raphael backs up to get out of her range.  
"Who's watching the border?" I ask.  
"Frank and Hazel." Reyna answers without hesitation. "Why-" She is cut off by a flash of bright light.  
I sigh. "Hi, mother."  
"Hello, son. I believe I have another one for you." Juno smiles as she walks up to Reyna and I.  
"Mother." I groan.  
"Hush. She might as well know." Juno smiles at Reyna as Reyna rises from her bow and returns the smile with a small one of her own. Juno grabs my arm in one hand and presses her other hand over my SPQR tattoo. A burning sensation happens on my arm, but it's more than just a bar. She adds one bar, her symbol by the trident, Hestia's, and all the other symbols of mypatrons.  
"There. Much better. Four years and all of us represented, including your own symbol." Juno puts her hands on her hips. "Now," I stiffen. "Come give your mother a hug. I've missed you, son." I huff in annoyance and embrace her warmly as she opens her arms. She relaxes just like I do and Reyna just looks at the scene like she can't believe it. She rubs her eyes and blinks.  
"Mother, you're embarrassing me." I mumble.  
"Good." She giggles and pulls away.  
"How is mother Vesta and father Jupiter?" I ask in Latin.  
"They are getting impatient. They can't wait until tomorrow. But they enjoy watching your justice of those fool Ares offspring." She laughs with a magical tone. I smile and chuckle with her.  
"Lady Juno, how did Percy earn this one?" Reyna asks.  
I sigh heavily and Juno lays her hand on my shoulder. "He defended one of my shrines over in another country from being corrupted by some evil force and stopped the monsters from trying to destroy it. Purging the evil from my shrine sent him to the hunters's infirmary for a week. The other quest he went on for me was similar, but with my husband's shrine. He was out for longer because of that one. Mars is just strange, but deemed it worthy. And you gave him the first one as I recall." Juno just explains the whole enchilada, wonderful.  
A chorus of howls sound from the forest as I see the Ares boys burst through. They reach us in the matter of a minute and collapse again. I feed the wolves treats.  
"You still have a huge caring nature, son. I will leave you to your little...situation." Juno giggles again, hugs me tight, and flashes out.  
I grumble about crazy old ladies called June and turn to face the Ares scum. "What did I tell you last time?! Get on your feet! Or must I exhume holes for you to sleep in while you're alive?!" I yell at them. They rush to their feet as best they can and lean on each other.  
"Maybe I should have you train the newbies for them to catch up with the rest of the legion." Reyna muses.  
A smirk tugs at the corners of my mouth and I let it come on my face. "Maybe." I laugh with Reyna and Raphael. "Alright boys, this time we are going in a different manner." I go and drag something no one knew was there, but I asked a Hephaestus kid to make me a few during our one of the punishments earlier. I pull out five contraptions and they all look at them in confusion. Best part is they are height adjustable.  
Reyna comes over to inspect while I cross my arms and tap my foot. Raphael looks at another one. "What are they?" He asks.  
I grin and look at the Ares kids. "Two of you on each. You hang upside down by your jnees until I tell you to stop. You fall off, I'll hang you by your toes and you'll miss dinner. And breakfast the next day. Got it?" They all bob their heads as they get up there. I adjust some for the bigger kids and I watch for a few minutes until Reyna comes over.  
"I should definitely recruit your for a trainer." She giggles.  
"Dude, I don't ever want to be on your bad side. Awful place to be. I'm glad I'm your friend." Raphael whistles low.  
"Just don't treat maidens or girls in general like they did and we won't have a problem." I shrug.  
"I'll keep that in mind." He nods.  
"I know why you were missing, but why no contact and why didn't you tell me about the marks?" Reyna demands.  
I sigh and lean against one of the metal contraptions. It causes the two unlucky spawn to almost fall off and I chuckle. "Ah, where was this ruthless man all this time? Doctor's prescription, no contact with anyone but the gods and the Hunt. Monsters count I suppose cause they attacked us a lot, but that's why there was no contact. The marks, well that branches off of that and I didn't feel like defending against a mob of legion soldiers. Sorry. Plus I was busy fulfilling my duties. Just like you were. I hear you were swamped. How is the legion?"  
She nods. "I see. The legion is doing better than ever. So many new recruits and we have a new cohort thanks to it. The eagle standard you brought back those few years ago really boosts morale and it stands proudly in our camp. You have a memorial, along with Frank and Hazel. Honoring you as a once praetor and member of the legion. One of our best, even for a crazy Greek." She smiles and we laugh.  
"I should really visit." I tell her. "And really, a friggin' memorial? C'mon Reyna." I look at her with puppy dog eyes and she rolls hers.  
"Frank and Hazel insisted along with Nico and many other soldiers. I loved the idea of honoring an old praetor. Juno seemed to like it even more." Reyna laughs lightly at my face.  
"My mother." I sigh deeply. "Sometimes I think she wants to smother me with pride and affection." I huff.  
"Stop being modest, for the love of Bellona!" She throws her hands up and Raphael just snickers at our interaction.  
"How are you guys doing?" I ask the devils hanging upside down like bats. "Should I add more?" I wonder at them and most shake their heads while some seem to be having trouble not slipping off.  
"I think you should add more." Raphael concludes.  
"Hmm...maybe I should. Oh! Someone bring me cauldrons or something and fill them with water." I say and Raphael runs off to find some.  
"Totally hiring you." Reya fist bumps me.  
"Already hired for awhile by the gods for this camp and you guys. Why is all the legion staying in the Big House?" I ask her while we wait for Raphael.  
"Well, some stay with their Greek siblings, like the minor gods children. We are actually building a makeshift cabin for a number of us. You know how fast we work." I nod to confirm. "We just needed to find a good space, draw up plans, and it should be ready by dinner time with the spare time you've given us. It's good practice for the new recruits we've been getting." Reyna tells me.  
"Nice. Athena cabin helping?" I ask.  
"Yes. Only a little bit though. We need to train the new members of the legion. They let your first wish leak into the Roman side. The kids get claimed almost immediately in my presence or Frank's or Hazel's. So that helps when we give them their marks."Reyna says happily.  
"Glad to hear it." I tell her.  
"Do you remember when you were raised on the shield?" She asks me all of a sudden.  
"How could I forget? One of the best moments of my life." I smile at the memory and she smiles too. "Why?"  
"I just wondred if you blamed us Romans for what happened." She sighs.  
"Nah. I knew better. What I didn't know was that you were searching for me because I thought you didn't know what happened. And I figured no one would have told you." I say.  
"Good. I'm killing that witch first chance I get." Reyna smacks her fist into her hand.  
"Get in line." I laugh heartily. "The whole Hunt is behind Artemis and I."  
"Well the Greek encampment can get behind the Roman legion." Reyna says seriously.  
"That's a comforting notion." I say.  
"We tell your stories all the time when Nico started the tradition with Hazel and Frank. Especially to the new recruits. Your memorial is part of the beginning tour." She informs me.  
"Thank you." I whisper sincerely.  
"It's an honor. Now we can add a Guardian to the list." She claps me on the shoulder and the two people on the contraption nearly fall off again and we laugh.  
"Tomorrow after Raphael recieves his second mark, I'm being given the highest honor any person can receive from the gods. I turned it down the first two times for love and this time I'm accepting it for a different love." I tell her quietly.  
Her eyes widen and then she grins. "Knew you were a special person when I met you. I'm guessing you're accepting it for Lady Diana?" She asks.  
"Yes, it is part of my duty and we both feel that way. As her Guardian, she will still be able to keep the Hunt." I smile at the thought and Reyna beams at me.  
"That's wonderful. You must tell me your domains and things once you receive you godhood. I will add them as well. Renovations will be required because of it and it will be a sight to see. Not to mention building your Roman shrine." She starts spewing out diferent traditions and I put my hand over her mouth.  
"I got it!" I exclaim, worried she might not shut up. I remove my hand and she breathes deeply.  
"Okay. Diana is so lucky. I hope she's happy." Reyna says excitely.  
"I still need to propose to her. Can't do it 'til after tomorrow and then I have to talk to Zeus and I think Apollo understands thewhole thing, but I still have to talk to him. Not to mention the ring. It has to represent my godly side." I say in a nervous tone.  
"Fun. Here comes Raph." She nods at my new friend leading the harpies who are helping him bring five cauldrons, huge ones too. I grin at him and he grins back under the effort. Must be heavy. I run over to help him. Shouldering half the weight. He smiles at me gratefully and I can see the sweat pouring down his face and I chuckle. We set the cauldrons down underneathe the boys and there is already water in them.  
"Thanks ladies." I tell the harpies and they squawk at me. "Yes, I'm putting them to great use. I'll try my best to keep them clean." I tell the blue one. She nods her pudgy head and flies off with her sisters back to the kitchen.  
"What are we doing?" Raphael asks.  
"Well Raph, I thought I'd make this interesting. Not only if they fall I'll do what I already said I would, but they'll suffer in the scalding hot water." I reply.  
"But it's not boiling." Raphael says.  
"Not a problem for a son of the sea. I can make it boiling and keep it like that for a very long time." I say and concentrate on the water in the cauldrons. In a matter of a few seconds, it comes to past just boiling. "That's more like lava, oh well. works for me." I shrug.  
"Won't it evaporate?" Reyna asks curiously.  
"Not if I don't want it to." I answer.  
"Reyna you seriously need to hire him." Raphael says without a single funny reaction in his voice.  
Reyna and I just laugh and I hear an Ares boy whimper. I walk over to Isaiah, he was the one who whimpered. "Aren't you supposed to be lean and mean? Tougher than nails? C'mon, you know those rumors about the children of Ares, they aren't effected by pain. You going to fall child?" I ask in a voice full of wrath and mockery.  
He cowers under my tone. The boy next to him yelps and he has to use his handsto keep from falling.  
"You already made us swear not to touch them without permission! Have mercy!" Isaiah begs.  
"Let me think...no. Did you have mercy when you were hurting those girls? No? Didn't think so. The oath was only a small fraction of the punishment I have in mind. Which reminds me. Thanks to your brother here, I have an idea." I snarl at him as I grin with malice in my voice. I walk over to the supply closet in one of the stands of the arena and find what I'm looking for. I fish it out and come up with enough length of rope for my needs. "Perfect!" I exclaim with happiness to scare them.  
I walk out and after tying their hands behind their backs, stand back to look at my handiwork.  
"See Raph, son of Poseidon helps with knots as well. Quite handy for their situation I suppose. They could power the ropes like me if they had sea as their lifeblood. No matter, it just makes it more fun to watch." I tell him and he smiles.  
"How are you so cruel?" Isaiah says. I see the pleading in his eyes, but no regret. No remorse.  
"I consider it as incentive, not cruelty. You want cruelty, boy. I can give you more than that. I can show you evil incarnate. But I won't put anyone through what I was. This is but a prick in the finger compared to what I went through. You're lucky I'm not cruel. Ask Clarisse, I'm sure she can tell you how caring and kindhearted she seems to think I am." I tell him in a cold voice, dripping venom.  
"I'll even pay you to train the new members once you are done here." Reyna marvels.  
Raphael and I high five and start laughing. "I see you are enjoying yourself, my Guardian." I hear Artemis's voice behind me.  
"Indeed my Moon. Do you like what you see?" I ask as I walk over to her, motioning at the Ares boys.  
"I know I do." Clarisse says.  
"How you liking the Hunt?" I turn to her.  
"Better than camp." She laughs and Phoebe high fives her.  
"You're both a disappointment to father!" Isaiah yells at Clarisse and Phoebe.  
I growl and am in front of him in an instant. I hit his knees with my fists and he drops into the water. He screams and I drag him out and slam him onto the ground. "My sisters are not disappointments. They are worth more than a billion armies worth of your sorry backside. You should learn to keep your mouth shut!" I say. First deadly calm and then I start beating the crap out of him. I stop after a little while, blood dripping off my knuckles and his face bashed in. "You will hang here all night!" I tell himand I hang him by his toes, the top of his head almost skimming the water.  
Artemis wraps her arms around mine and my chest as I'm shaking with uncontrollable rage. As she touches me with moonlight, my rage is forced back and I relax in her arms. "Better?" She whispers in my ear.  
"Yes, thank you. I'm sorry I acted that way." I apologize to Artemis.  
"It's alright. I'm glad you defended your sisters honor." She tells me.  
I nod my head and she lets go. I get in Isaiah's face again. "Such a pity the Ares cabin is yours to run since my sister joined." I spit at him.  
"A girl-" He starts.  
"Shut up you idiot!" Yells the guy beside him.  
"At least someone is learning something under my wing in your gorup. I thought it was all in vain." I say in a false happy teacher voice as I pull away from Isaiah.  
I get in this kid's face. "What's your name kiddo?" I squint at him, trying to pry his lies from him. Oh wait, he can't lie to me still.  
"Fred." I snort at his answer.  
I look over at Artemis and smile at her. "What?" She asks, then she picks up on it. "Oh." She giggles.  
"I met a 'Fred' once. Quite worried for his sister really. Such a shame, I liked that alias." I shrug. "But what can you do?" I ask no one.  
The sun brightens and I chuckle at Apollo's reaction. I hear him laugh in my mind and it makes me snicker. "Apollo kills me sometimes." I say and I hear a distinct, Hey! in the back of my head. I chuckle at that.  
"How is your doctor?" Atalanta rolls her eyes.  
"Probably fine. I'm just glad he doesn't have to check on me anymore. Praise Zeus." I say and just fall to the ground with a thud. My arms lay away from my body. I feel vulnerable, but I know it's stupid because I'm safe and I can react quicker than youan imagine.  
"Tired?" Artemis asks, looking down at me.  
"Yep." I answer.  
"The wolves are playing around down at the archery range. They await the next trial." She tells me.  
"Yep." I reply.  
"You having a lazy moment?" Is her next question.  
"You bet." I tell her.  
"How long?" She inquires.  
"Until I am needed or the dinner horn sounds. Do you need anything?" I ask her.  
"Maybe." She answers simply. I sit up, my back creaking. "You turning into an old man?" She laughs.  
"Nope. Just my spine stretching. What do you require?" I look at her as I stretch out my arms and you can hear my shoulders crack.  
"Can you teach me more in the spear?" She asks. "I don't want to tire you out more than you already are." She says.  
"Nonsense. I would love to better your use over a weapon for your defense." I say as I stand up. I turn to Raphael and Reyna. "You guys up for a lesson?"  
"Yes!" Raphael shouts in his excitement and Reyna just nods, elbowing Raphael in the side. I chuckle. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. I suppose that's a good thing.  
"So enthusiastic. What wonderful students. I don't believe I've had you in my class yet praetor. How's your use of a spear?" I ask.  
She grins and puts one hand on her hip. "Daughter of Bellona, Roman war goddess, reporting for duty. Master of the spear."  
"We shall see." I grin back. 


	22. Chapter 22

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Don't leave us out!" Phoebe, Clarisse, and Thalia scream together. The rest of the Hunters resign to watching the little class. Jack and Owen come forward smiling and I know they want in. So, I have Phoebe, Thalia, Clarisse, Jack, Owen, Reyna, Raphael, and Artemis. Perfect.  
"I wouldn't dream of it sisters." I tell them and roll my eyes. Clarisse and Thalia stick their tongues out at me and Clarisse and Phoebe punch me playfully on my arms. One for each, joy. "Reyna, let's see what you got." I walk over to the weapons rack and grab two spears. I throw Reyna one and she catches it with no trouble. She has no complaints with the simple weapon, not even that we were using the actual form instead of just a wooden pole.  
"You got it Percy." Reyna says and gets into a battle stance. Everyone backs off as I settle into my form.  
"Try your hardest not to hit the bats over there." I say sarcastically, inclining my head towards the Ares boys.  
"Well we know one of them can't fal off." She smirks evily and charges at me.  
I laugh as she comes towards me and charge to meet her. After a few minutes, I send her spear flying into the air and level the tip of mine at her chest, which heaves heavily. I breathe normally and hold out my hand. She takes it and stands as I pull her to her feet.  
She laughs breathlessly. "That was amazing. I haven't had an actual fight like that in years. I don't normally use a spear either." She punches me on the arm. Seriously? What is with punching my arms today? It's like people are possesed trying to do it. I smile at her.  
"Glad you had fun. Everyone gather around." I say.  
~Three Hours Later~ "Phoebe!" Artemis whines. "Will you stop doing that?!"  
"I'm sorry, milady. I'm doing just as Percy instructed. It's not my fault it's working." Phoebe answers back.  
"Technically your skill as a warrior is to blame, you only grasped out at the technique I showed you." I tell her casually and she beams at me when she hands Artemis her spear back.  
"I hate to exhume your memories, but who taught you how to use that disarming technique?" Phoebe asks.  
I look away and she frowns, then I smile at her and she looks confused. "Iapetus, he regained his memory when they made me reverse it with the water of the Lethe. Oceanus let me have control long enough to move the water around Iapetus's head after Tartarus released his spirit from his armor. It was taxing and I was almost completely drained when he began his fun. His revenge. He taught me grudgingly how to use a spear as well as he does and when I could beat him, they'd move me on to the next weapon or round of pain."  
"Sorry." Phoebe whispers.  
"You shouldn't be. You asked an honest question. Not your fault the darkness was too thick to see through during most of it." I say softly and she wears a small smile, a bigger one tugging at her lips.  
I hear a groan and I look over at an Ares boy. I had forgotten about them honestly. I didn't think them that important. Just as long as they got their just desserts. I clicked my tongue at them.  
"How you holding up boys?" I ask in a gruff voice, booming over at them. I hear Artemis scoff and I chuckle. I wal over and inspect the Ares children. Some looked on the verge of sleep, slipping nearly into the water. Several of them moaned in pain as their answer. "I suppose you can get down now."  
They don't even move. "Uh, Perce?" Raphael looks at me.  
"Yeah?" I turn to him.  
"The water is still there and their hands are bound." Reyna tells me.  
"Oh, forgot about that. Whoops." I admit and Jack and Owen start laughing. I flick my hand and the ropes come undone and slither across the ground until they rest in my hands. I throw is to Jack and he catches it. Then I drag the cauldrons over by using the water in them to make them move. I cool down the water and Raphael goes to get the harpies. "Well? Get down if you ain't hangin' by your toes." I say. "Or you can hang there for the rest of your miserable little lives. It doesn't bother me at all. I feel no guilt whatsoever."  
A few drop after tell them they can and crumple to the ground. They won't be waking up for awhile. A couple have to pry their legs from the bar and pass out as their backs and heads hit the ground. I whistle low. "How ya feeeling there, kid?" I ask the one other than I saiah who is left.  
"I can't move." He replies.  
I sigh. "Should I help you? I'm debating myself." I cross my arms and tap my left foot, a thinking position.  
He groans and tries to move, but cries out and straightens his back again. I roll my eyes and stroll over to him. I touch a finger to his back and see it is straining, stretching him out. "Please don't touch it." He whimpers. I remove my finger and knock his feet over the other side of the bar. He falls to the ground.  
"Will someone fetch the Apollo cabin for me?" I ask loudly.  
"I will." Thalia says and runs off.  
She comes back with the entire cabin and brings them to stand in front of me after about fifteen minutes of me sparring bare handed with Raph. The Apollo kids look at me like they are frightened.  
"'Sup?" I ask.  
"Why did you need us?" A little kid asks, coming further forward. He doesn't seemed scared.  
"Oh, right. Them." I point over at the comatose-like boys lying on the ground. "They need to go to the infirmary. Tell me when they wake up."  
The cabin goes into action and have the Ares boys out in a matter of ten minutes. Jack and Owen come up to me and we high five like little kids. "Wow. You have some really harsh ways of dealing with people." Owen tells me.  
I shrug. "Told you they would be in the infirmary after the first day. No survivors, but I'm taking your eldest brother here to the extreme until he learns his lesson."  
"He'll be there for awhile then." Jack says.  
I turn to my students. "I think you all did well, considering this is only the second day of working on your skills. Though, I do believe that you three have a slight advantage." I smirk, pointing at Thalia, Phoebe, and Clarisse. They grin.  
"Children of war and the Big Three have a knack for weapons. You just gotta find the right one." Clarisse grins wider.  
"I'll give you that." I tell her and she laughs.  
"Percy, you want to have a power battle? Like old times?" Thalia wiggles her electric fingers at me. I roll my eyes and splash her in the face with gathered water vapor. "Percy!" She complains.  
"You asked. I answered." I grin evilly.  
"It is so on." Artemis says. She lights her hands with moonlight.  
"No way." I shake my head. "I'll drop from that feeling."  
"You scared Kelp Head?" Thalia asks innocently.  
"Not in the slightest, but it feels weird when she zaps me with moonlight." I whine.  
Thalia shoots lightning at me from her fingers and I roll out of the way as moonlight comes at me. I block it with a shield of starlight. It bounces off and shimmers as it disappears. I lower my shield only to be blasted back by Thalia. Since I can't hurt her and I never would anyways, I can't exactly attempt to almost drown her to get her to stop. I see what they're doing. Defense exercise, eh? Fine.  
I smile as Artemis comes at me armed with a spear of moonlight. I summon one made of starlight and knock hers out of her hand and launch myself over her head. I land in front of Thalia, who presses her palm against my arm. She sends electric pulses through my body as I smile at her. I pull away from her and duck as Artemis flies into Thalia.  
"Nice try, Artemis. That's a no." I poke her in the side with starlight and she blushes. She takes my moment of supposed victory and puts her hand on my arm. I make my arm shield itself with moonlight as Artemis's hand lights up. I try to get my arm out of her grasp and she smiles when she sees I won't hurt her. She reaches her other hand out and puts it on my right shoulder. Moonlight shoots through my trident tattoo and the cottony feeling comes back. My skin flushes and my attention draws to the moonlight on my right shoulder. Thalia comes up behind me and knocks my feet out from under me.  
Thalia jumps back and as I fall Artemis takes my distraction and pushes past the layer of light I have on my arm. "Oof!" Is what comes out when my back hits the ground. Artemis is pinning me down with her knees on my shoulders. The feeling takes over my body and I start laughing.  
"You lose." Artemis tells me.  
"I thought this was an exercise, not payback for earlier." I reply.  
She giggles and Thalia sits down next to my head. "She asked for my help. Decoy at your service." Thalia sticks her tongue out at me. I roll my eyes.  
I look up to see the Hunt is around us. "That isn't fair you know. I can't exactly fight back." I say, giving in with an annoyed huff.  
"True, but you're going to have to get over it." Phoebe snickers.  
"What has the world come to?" I ask sarcastically. "And I thought you cared, sister." I pout and we all laugh.  
Artemis moves her hand from my arm over my heart and lights it there and the feeling has my senses on overdrive. She smiles at my wide eyes. "How does it feel now?"  
"It's taking over my system." I reply.  
"Good. Can you move?" She asks.  
"Yes. But I'd rather not shove you off because it's considered rude to a lady." I tell her.  
Her smile widens. "I'll tell you one of the ways this feeling can be used later. You might think it...different." She blushes and looks away. I ignore it and ask her a question so no one sees her red skin.  
"Well I feel awake. Like a sugar rush. But I felt like I was stuffed with cotton before." I tell her, still wondering why she blushed. I shake it off and wait for her to reply.  
She grins. "So an adrenaline rush."  
I nod. "That won't help me sleep tonight. You better hope it wears off."  
She frowns, but keeps the light on the two marks. "Concentrate on it." She whispers.  
I close my eyes and feel where her light is slowly connecting through the chains. It slowly starts lighting up the marks on my front. As the light on the chains meet, the feeling doubles and I feel like I could never sleep again. Then my back starts to glow with it. My eyes snap open. "What are you doing?" I ask.  
"Why is he glowing?" Atalanta asks.  
"I'm seeing what happens other than one reason when I touch your marks with moonlight." She grins evilly and I gulp.  
"What do you mean?" I look into her eyes.  
"I'm opening up your Guardian senses and after that, I'll explain what happens if I touch you with moonlight once they are open." She whispers in my ear.  
The Soul Drawing on my back is almost completely lit up. It's like a crawling sensation and I become brighter. Artemis flashesus into the Artemis' cabin just as the moonlight finishes on my back. My forehead starts to glow and Artemis smiles. She climbs off and I start pulsing with her light. She backs up and covers her eyes as the light brightens unbearably. I explode with the light and the cabin shakes with the impact.  
Once the light fades and I can see again, Artemis hovers above me. I just stare at her.  
"Percy? Are you okay?" She waves her hand in front of my face.  
I catch her hand and hold it above my head. "That felt so weird. But I feel a little better. But it's like I'm looking through my wolf eyes. Your hand is interesting." I tell her.  
She giggles and sits next to me and lets me study her hand. I can see more lines than anyone else and I trace the patterns with my eyes. I sit up and look at her hair. "Your hair has more red in it than I thought it did." I blurt out and look closer at it.  
"I think I just made you a wondering child again." She laughs.  
"It's not my fault." I argue and she just laughs even more. She scoots closer to me and holds out her hair for me to look at. A curious urge makes me take it in my hands gently and feel how silky it is. I'm so mesmerized I don't notice the door slamming open and people running over to us. I'm absorbed and Artemis has to touch my hands to attract my attention.  
"Percy, I think you might want to look around you." Artemis tells me in a soft voice.  
I take her advice and draw my eyes away from her face. I take in my surroundings to find the Hunt watching Artemis and I. Thalia is grinning at me and so is the rest of the Hunt, I just cock my head at them in confusion. As I take in my sisters,curiosity is predominately the major characteristic of my facial expression. Their silver uniforms actually have more folds than I actually thout they did, and I can see the magic lining the pockets of them and my eyes swirl with mirth. I can see the blessing of Artemis radiating off of all of them and look at Artemis. I cover my eyes and I feel a hand tugging on mine.  
"You're too bright. It hurts." I mumble and she pulls my hands away. I have to stare at her to get used to it and then it dims down.  
"You'll adjust." Artemis tells me. Most of the hunters sit in front of Artemis and I now.  
My eyes narrow as my eyes take in her godly aura and I look down at my hands. I glow much like the Hunters, but mine was way brighter. I raise my eyebrow at her and she tilts her head. I shake mine in response and she shrugs.  
"Since when did you become twins?" Thalia asks playfully innocent.  
I just give her an incredulous look while Artemis is trying to decide on whether or not to be amused or slightly flustered. Or both. I can tell from a feeling I have learned to read and the expression on her face shows what emotions she's battling with on the inside.  
I touch her shoulder and she jumps. She looks into my eyes. "Calm down. She is just trying to get under you skin." I tell her.  
Artemis sighs and the feeling turns to mild irritation. I reach out and touch the feeling and Artemis's mind clashes against mine. We both involuntarily shudder. "It wasn't that strong before, Artemis. Usually it was vaguely that I would know how you feel and only if I concentrated." I brood and sit there, trying to pull away from her head, to no avail.  
"Please stop thinking and force yourself out of my head." Artemis tells me.  
I close my eyes and push away from the mixed feelings of the moon goddess. I leave her mind and she breathes a sigh of relief.  
"It's almost dinner milady." Thalia informs Artemis.  
"Why don't we just eat in here?" I ask.  
Artemis summons a table and chairs at the end of the room and it is huge thanks to the size of the Hunt. I summon a buffet for them all to choose from and close the door as the rest of the girls file in. They all rush to the food immediately and Artemis and I just wait until they are done to get ours.  
After eating, the girls all thanked me and climbed into bed. Artemis sits in her bed staring at her hands and I walk over to sit at her feet on the floor.  
"What's on your mind Artemis?" I ask softly.  
"Just thinking about how everything is changing. We still need to tell the girls." She sighs.  
"When the time is right we will tell them. I'm not sure how they are going to take it." I say and run a hand through my hair.  
"It's quite interesting to say the least. The older ones will either kill you or understand and the newer ones will probably just be confused." She says.  
"I do believe you are right. You should sleep. Tomorrow is going to start the changes in fast forward for the both of us. Rest." I whisper as I stand and tuck her in.  
As I turn, a hand grasps mine and I sit on the bed. "Will you sing to me?" Artemis asks in an alert voice.  
I smile and nod. I sing an ancient lullaby Hera taught me and started singing iron Greek. Once her eyes slipped shut, I let thepeaceful song come to a close. Soft snores and sleepy smiles all around me.  
I crash on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. I close my eyes and let myself be taken by Morpheus.  
Point of view: Artemis I wake to tossing and turning near the front of the cabin. I realize it's Percy and that most of the girls have woken up. We crowd around him and I lay my hand on his arm.  
I hiss as I draw my hand back. "What's wrong milady?!" Thalia exclaims worriedly.  
"His skin is scalding hot. There is no way that's a fever. Something is wrong. Find ice." I order and the hunters run around the cabin and bolt outside to find ice.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I bolt upright and lay back down immediately at the pain in my lower back. Right where Annabeth's brand used to be.  
"Oh gods..." I say loudly.  
Artemis touches my forehead. "What is it? What's wrong? Why are you burning up?" She searches my eyes.  
"The spot where her mark used to be. It's burning. She's coming. She's returning. The brand is the signal. I am her link. The light to her dark. I am her bane. Her master's bane. She calls through the broken scar one last time." I say, breathing heavily.  
"Who? Annabeth? Kronos?" Artemis asks, her voice far away.  
"Yes, they all return. She leads them." I say louder. I'm not freaking out, I'm trying to tell her before the scorching feeling throughout my body takes me into the dark.  
"Percy? Are you- Oh Styx! You're skin is hotter than before!" Artemis exclaims.  
"Her return is making me fall ill. I'm the beacon, the warning sign. I can't feel anything, my lady. I'm losing my grip on my consciousness. I don't know how long I'll be out." I tell her.  
"Percy, just keep your eyes open! Percy!" She shakes me, but I can't find my voice. I can't find anything. My eyes are starting to close, they're heavy with the burning pushing them down.  
All I hear is Artemis's voice as I fall into the shadows of my mind, "Apollo! Apollo!" She screeches.  
Yeah, uh...short chapter. Good thing I'm writing a couple more...heh heh...I'll tell you at the end of the one I finishon...Rick Riordan owns PJO/HOO. To the next chapter my lovely readers... 


	23. Chapter 23

Point of view: Perseus Jackson The dark.  
It envelopes my body, clouds my sight, muffles sounds. I only feel the heat in my veins. I'm floating through a void like a feather.  
'We are back!' Comes a sickly sweet voice.  
My lower back burns hotter, but I notice the connection wavers. Then the other missing scar spots burn, but they start to weaken. My spinal cord feels like snapping. I can feel my body again. I'm writhing, my back is arched, and my hands clench into and out of fists. Someone slips their hands into mine and I grip them like a vice. Their hands tighten around mine.  
The hands that hold onto mine and I unto them like a lifeline, they are cold. Deathly cold. They cool my body down quickly. Then I realize the hands are warm, but they are sending cold pulses of energy though me. It does nothing for where the marks used to be, but they are cooling down slowly on their own. They try to pierce at my soul, but it has been cleansed. They cannot penetrate it, they are losing. My back is still arched and I can speak. But I choose not to so I can listen to the frantic voices resounding in my head.  
'We return!' One cackles.  
'Coming for you!'  
'Be ready, my broken hero.'  
'You will turn to our side."  
I reach out and speak to them. 'My loyalty lies with the gods! I'll never switch! Crawl back to the depths from which you come from! Return to the Pit!' I put venom into the thought.  
'Sorry sweetie. But we need you to complete the final process.' I know that voice. Annabeth.  
I growl. 'What process?' I ask.  
'We'll give you the details topside. We're using your soul to return. So thanks for falling for the girl.'  
I snarl out loud and internally. 'I was naive. It won't happen again.'  
"What's going on? Percy, can you hear me?" I hear a man yelling, Apollo.  
"Percy!" Some girl shrieks, Thalia.  
"What's wrong with him?" That is Artemis.  
'Hang on to your soul. We don't want to lose our pawn yet.'  
'I am no one's pawn. And you cannot touch my soul. I may have been your doorway, but it is there no longer. My soul has been wiped clean of your tainted hands. Even now your power fades as it realizes it won't leave with mysoul.'I tell the voices as they come into view.  
The ones who mainly took part in my time down in that forsaken hole. I see the Titans, the two Primordials, the Giants. And I see Annabeth.  
My Brand glows on my forehead and my vision self glows in a silvery-white. They all hiss. 'I will not allow you to return through my soul. You fail and if you do make it up to the mortal world, I will be there to end you permanently.' I glow brighter. 'It's time I show you, why my soul is no longer connected to yours!' I scream at them.  
The light explodes from me and they start blinking in and out.  
'He's become the Guardian of that witch of a goddess Artemis.'  
'We will kill her first.'  
'Hold on to your souls, my light extinguishes evil and it isn't merciful.'  
'He weakens us.' Annabeth screeches.  
They all start lighting up because my power and wink out. Gone for now.  
I feel my back flare with the fiery sensation, then it shuts off and my back drops back onto the bed. I let the darkness take me again.  
~Five Hours Later~ My eyes flutter open and I see several faces hovering above me. I stare at them then get an annoyed look on my face. "Sisters, must you always watch me as I sleep. It's quite weird."  
They jerk back and a chorus of laughter runs through the cabin in waves.  
Apollo comes over to me and I sit up. "What happened?" He asks.  
"They were trying to come back through my soul. But with becoming a Guardian, my ties to them were cut. Now they want to kill Artemis." A deep growl rumbles in my chest and escapes my lips. "They won't touch her."  
Artemis smiles at me warmly and I realize she is holding one of my hands. I smile back at her and I move to stand up. I look out the window and the dawn is cracking through the dark sky.  
"I need to see Raphael get his mark." I say and I pull Artemis along and out the door.  
~After the Ceremony~ "Congratz man." I clap Raphael on the back.  
"Thanks dude. Reyna is excited for me to take the test again." Raph smiles hugely at me.  
"When?" I ask, sipping at my water. Artemis ran off in the woods with the girls to practice setting traps.  
"Three days time." Reyna hits us both on the back.  
"You'll pass." I say.  
"You think so?" Raph asks me in surprise.  
"Dude, I know so. Besides, if you didn't, I'm sure you'd get frustrated enough to pass the test on anger alone, but that's not the right way to do it." I tell him seriously.  
Reyna beams at me. "At least you think so. I am going to love the reactions he gets when he does pass and with flying colorsI'm sure."  
"Mars is gonna tap dance again. It's a frightening sight. Almost gives me a heart attack every time." I sigh and smirk at their expressions. They shake it off and start chattering.  
"You can stop trying to sneak up on me Clarisse. You still need to work on that stealth." I say casually.  
I hear her curse in Greek and she comes to the front and smirks at me. "How'd you know?"  
"I'm your Guardian and protector. I have keen senses, plus I have a feeling of where every hunter is in general. Artemis is more prominent, but it's because she is one of my main priorities. The big group in the forest is a concentrated mass. You brought back a smaller group. What do you need?" I explain and drink some more water as I lean against the stands of the arena.  
"Lady Artemis wants to know when you want to go to Olympus." Clarisse replies.  
"I'll leave as soon as she gets back with therest of our sisters." I tell her.  
Clarisse nods. "Okay. I'll tell her. How's my idiot half-brother?"  
"Still trying to be defiant. Had to keep him quiet during the ceremony. I'm cutting him down once the conch horn for breakfast sounds. He's missing it though and judging by his condition, he won't be awake once I release him from the little contraption. The Romans seem to be having fun poking him with sticks at the moment." I nod in Isaiah's direction.  
Clarisse turns and starts giggling. She hugs me and takes off with the others back to Artemis.  
When the conch horn sounds, Artemis walks in and ventures over to me. She is beaming at me and I smile back at her.  
"How were the girls at the wilderness exercise?" I inquire.  
"They were great. They caught on and are on the path to being wonderful hunters. They are all excited and the older hunters are a little too happy." She replies with a huge grin.  
"That's good." I say.  
"You ready?" Artemis asks.  
"Almost." I tell her. I walk over to Isaiah and cut the rope that hangs him there. He crumples to the ground and falls I catch an Apollo kid and he takes Isaiah down to the infirmary. I walk back over to Artemis. "Now I'm ready."  
She laughs and holds out her hand. I lay my hand in hers and she flashes us into the throne room. All the gods are present and are looking at me. Artemis takes to her throne and I kneel in the middle of the room.  
"Rise, Perseus." Zeus tells me.  
I straighten and wait for whatever is supposed to happen next.  
"Are you ready to accept our generous offer?" Zeus asks kindly.  
"I am." I answer.  
All the gods stand and chant in Ancient Greek. When they finish, I start to glow until it becomes to bright for anyone to look at. When the light fades, three old ladies with a bunch of yarn stand in front of me and are facing me.  
"Perseus Jackson, God of Wolves, Werewolves, the Moon, the Hunt, Moonlight, Starlight, Night, Guardians, Protectors, Tenders, Companions, Heroes, Demigods, Humanity, Animals, Recovery, Rebirth. Domains are the world, Elysium, the Isle of the Blest, and the Realm of the Moon. Symbols are the wolf, the bow, Riptide, the moon, and the Airia. Animals are the wolf, the hellhound, and the pegasus." One rasps.  
"Valley of Wolves and Werewolves. Valley of Rebirth. Valley of Guardians. Valley of Protectors and Tenders. Valley of Companions. Valley of the Hunt. These are new places that are under your control." Another speaks.  
"You are Perseus Jackson. Son of Poseidon, Son of Hera, Son of Hestia, Returner of the Lost Gift, Champion of Athena, Champion of Hestia, Guardian of the Moon, Guardian of the Hunt, Guardian of Guardians, Guardian of Gods and Goddesses. The Third Moon and Hero of Olympus." The last one decrees.  
"As a gift from us, we give you the power to bring back two perished souls from nothingness." The one in the middle tells me.  
"You mean I can bring back the two who lost their lives down in that place?" I ask in a quiet voice.  
All three of them nod and the one on the right waves her hand. Two lifeless bodies shimmer into existence on the floor in front of me. Blackjack and Mrs. O' Leary. I fall to my knees beside them.  
"How do I...?" I trail off.  
I place a hand on each of my dead friends. I touch Blackjack with moonlight and Mrs. O' Leary with starlight. Their chests start to move and I hear their breath come their bodies. After a few minutes, their eyes open and they look around until they land on me. They perk up and tackle me to the floor. My hellhound licking my face and my pegasus nuzzling it. I know I am forgiven and I manage to get up and wipe everything off.  
I feel power run through me as I hear my followers. They've become aware of me and they call for me. A throne rises at the end of one of the rows and the Fates speak together, "You are the fifteenth Olympian." I stare at them, even after they flash out.  
I look over at my throne and see it is a mix of all my patrons's and my own theme. An Olympian silver and Stygian Iron black base. Streaks of color running through it representing my patrons and parents. My symbols carved into it along with my sacred animals. I walk towards it and raise to godly height asI sit down. Something glows and then lands in my hand, Riptide. I cap it and return it to my pocket. Mrs. O' Leary lays at the base of my throne and dozes off while Blackjack curls up next to her and does the same thing.  
Everyone is staring at me and Artemis is grinning at me. I smile at her a little and Zeus speaks up, "Perseus, I believe-"  
The whole of Olympus starts shaking. "Poseidon!" Zeus exclaims.  
"Not me!" Poseidon answers.  
Everyone looks at me. "Don't look my way." I hold up my hands.  
"Percy! Something is happening in the realm!" Artemis screams at me. My eyes widen and we both run out of the throne room and to her shrine. We enter into the Realm of the Moon and I jerk to a stop. Artemis blows past me and comes back to me when she sees I'm not with her.  
"Percy. C'mon, something is wrong." Artemis says worridly.  
I shake my head. "No. The Realm of the Moon is growing. I know what it is. They are the Vallies under my control. They are coming into existence in the realm." I tell her.  
"You mean that some of your new domains are here?" Artemis asks.  
"Pretty much." I reply.  
Two flashes of light and Selene and Ezekeiel come running for us. "What's going on?" Ezekeiel asks when he reaches us.  
"My new domains are being added here in the realm for some reason." I answer casually.  
"We heard what you were mad god of." Selene smiles at me.  
"Yup, I am the Third Moon." I smile back at her.  
"If you would've said that and I didnt know it was you or Lady Artemis wasn't at your side, I would have strangled you for letting her die so soon." Ezekeiel says and we laugh.  
"Nice to know." I tell him.  
"Now we know why you asked about the missing Guardians and why the starlight was there. They were signs of your godly power." Selene says.  
"You'll need a Guardian now." Ezekeiel claps me on the back.  
"I know who everyone's Guardian is and should be." I have a thoughtful look on my face. "Interesting. The same rituals apply to me except for the love thing. My Guardian is different. I can see who Apollo's is. So he hasn't really seen her? Probably overlooked her or something. She is very hard to miss."  
"Who is she?" Artemis asks with excitement.  
"You wouldn't believe who it is." I chuckle.  
"Just tell us." Ezekeiel sighs, but is trying to hide a small smile.  
"Nope. You'll find out. The others are probably wondering where we are." I grab Artemis's hand.  
Selene and Ezekeiel wave and I pull Artemis through the passageway. I end up having to clamp my hand over her mouth while we walk so she stops bugging me. When we reach the throne room doors, I open them after I remove my hand from hermouth.  
"Tell me. You can't keep it from me." Artemis almost whines.  
"I'm not keeping it from you. I told you that you will find out and now is the time." I say.  
She walks to her throne and she has a huge grin plastered to her face.  
"Apollo." I clear my throat and he looks at me. "I know who your Guardian is."  
He flashes out of his throne and down to me. He is in my face and he's about to start asking questions when I hold up my hand.  
"As god of Guardians I know who all of your Guardians are. Apparently some are mortal by the looks of it. Apollo, you are blind. She's been under your nose this whole time." I look at him.  
"Who is she?" He asks.  
"Clarisse La Rue." I tell him.  
"Ares's daughter?" Apollo looks thoughtful. "Didn't she just join the Hunt. She might not like the idea."  
"She joined the Hunt for a change of pace and she lost Chris. She was devastated and heartbroken. She's fine now, but it'll be easier than you think." I reply.  
"Very well. Sister, can you bring her here?" Apollo turns to Artemis.  
She sighs and snaps her fingers. Instead of just Clarisse, she brings the entire Hunt.  
"Whoa! What do you need milady?" Thalia asks.  
"Ask our Guardian." Is all she replies with and they all crowd around me and Apollo.  
"Clarisse, Apollo needs to talk with you." I say and she looks confused.  
He leads her over to his throne and they start whispering back and forth. To put it mildly, first Clarisse looks confused, then angry, thoughtful, and now she is happy. Apollo is excited to say the least.  
I look at all the gods. "I know who all of your Guardians are." I smile at them.  
"We don't have Guardians." Athena looks at me confused.  
"That is where you are wrong Athena. I shall name them all and summon them." I say.  
I wave my hand and cushion seats appear on the floor at the feet of all the thrones. I wave my hand again and people fill them. "Piper McLean, Guardian of Marriage and Family. This is your Guardian Lady Hera. Sarah Smith, Guardian of Travelers and Thieves. Hermes, this is your Guardian. Crena Miller, Guardian of the Hearth, you are Hestia's Guardian. Reyna, praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata, Guardian of the Sky. Zeus's Guardian. Jason Grace, Guardian of the Underworld. Hades this is your Guardian. Guardian of Love, Aphrodite's Guardian, Raphael Sithon. Guardian of the Sea, Poseidon, your Guardian is Phoebe, hunter of Artemis. Guardian of Wisdom, Joslyn, you are Athena's Guardian. Malcom, son of Athena, you are the Guardian of Wine and Insanity, the Guardian of Dionysus. Jack, son of Ares is the Guardian of Death, Thanatos's Guardian. Hazel Levesque, you are the Guardian of Life, all life. Guardian of Animals is Lucy, a hunter of Artemis. Frank Zhang, Guardian of Heroes, but you are not my Guardian. Nico di Angelo, Guardian of the Third Moon, Perseus Jackson's Guardian. Owen, son of Ares, Guardian of Humanity, but not mine. Thalia Grace, Guardian of Maidens, but not of Artemis. Leo Valdez, Guardian of Demigods, but not Guardian of me. Atalanta, Guardian of Nature. Katie Gardner, Guardian of Springtime, you are Persephone's Guardian. Jade Silvan, a hunter of Artemis, Guardian of Children, but not Artemis. Jamison, hunter of Artemis, Guardian of Souls, but not Hades. Nerina, Guardian of Nature Spirits, mortal and the information of the gods is now explained to her. Kerra, a hunter of Artemis, Guardian of War, Ares's Guardian. Layla, hunter of Artemis, Guardian of Forges and Fire, this is your Guardian Hephaestus. Guardian of Water, Kiara, a mortal, all is explained. Guardian of the Wild, who would have been Pan's Guardian, Monique Lade, a daughter of Demeter. Pan will now be brought back to bestow his Guardianship upon Monique and he will be weak, but will grow stronger with the efforts of his Guardian and creatures of nature." 


	24. Chapter 24

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "I-I'm your G-Guardian?" Nico walks up to me.  
"Yeah. It's okay if you don't want to take on the role. I won't be offended. I myself am a Guardian, I know how much work it is." I smile at him.  
"That's not what I meant. I just didn't think I would be a Guardian." Nico grins. "At least I'm Guardian of someone cool."  
I grin at him. "Thanks. You won't exactly be going through the same process I went through, but it's pretty much the same thing." Artemis walks over and slips her hand in mine and I look at her questionly. "Are you sure? The hunters might not like it."  
"I'm sure. It has to happen now anyways and since we both feel that way genuinely it will make it easier. I think the girls are expecting it." She kisses my cheek and squeezes my hand.  
"All right." I say.  
"These are our Guardians?" Aphrodite asks me.  
"Yes. There are many more, but these are the ones for you and others. The Valley of Guardians is open to them once you give them their titles officially. I hope you all accept your gifts and embrace your destinies. Now if you'll excuse me." I say and Nico follows me out while I pull Artemis along.  
"Where are we going?" Nico wonders.  
"I assume you are ready?" I ask.  
"Yes. Is that where we are heading?" Nico replies.  
"It is." I answer.  
"HIs ritual is going to be really different." Artemis comments.  
"I know. Nothing like mine, but I think that mine is more painful than his will be." I tell her.  
"I agree." I say as we enter Artemis's shrine.  
"So, what do we do?" Artemis asks and looks at Nico.  
"Well, you go in with our friends and I'll deal with this." I say and she nods. She walks through the passageway.  
"So, what am I supposed to do." Nico asks.  
"You have a free pass you lucky kid." I chuckle. "Mine was more revealing, yours isn't in the slightest. But I'm positive you willdo most of what I did. You'll cleanse your soul with moonlight and go through a test once you're out, if you survive that is." I tell him and he listens intently. "You get to meet a couple people who have long since faded into the sky. Come." I say and walk through the door that leads to the Realm of the Moon.  
I watch as his eyes widen and his jaw drops. I laugh at his reaction. "Where are we?" He asks as he takes it all in.  
"Welcome to the Realm of the Moon, Nico." I smile at him.  
"I can't believe I get to be a Guardian." Nico says absentmindedly.  
"Well start believing." I tell him and he points to where three figures stand in front of a well. As we gather in front together Ezekeiel comes forward.  
"So you are another come to bathe in the Well of the Moon." He claps Nico on the back.  
"I would say déjà vu but I'm on the other side this time." I grin and Ezekeiel shares it.  
"You must cleanse yourself." Ezekeiel motions towards the well.  
"Here's some advice, don't get distracted or you will lose." I say and Nico nods with a serious expression. He walks down the stairs.  
~An Hour Later~ Nico climbs up the stairs and his clothes have morphed into the same ones I was wearing when I came out. Ezekeil and I flank him and turn into wolves. He stares at us and we wait for him.  
"Am I supposed to turn into one?" Nico looks at us.  
"Yes." I answer.  
"Every Guardian of the Moon can do it." Ezekeiel says.  
"Okay...How do I do it?" Nico looks back and forth between us.  
"Think about it." Ezkeiel replies.  
"Same thing if you want to turn back." I add.  
"Ow!" He jumps and I look at him.  
"Oh. Your tattoos came in." I chuckle like a wolf and grin at him.  
"What?" Nico asks.  
"Your shoulder, your heart, and your back. Do you want to see them?" Artemis asks after snickering with Selene.  
"Yes." Nico turns to her. She summons that mirror and whispers into it.  
Nico's heart isn't a white full moon like mine. It's a half moon that is a deep silver color. The mirror changes and his shoulder appears. It has a replica of the Helm of Darkness in black on it. Then his back appears and it is darker than mine. In the center, a huge white full moon has a violet skeleton in it and it holds a black sword. I see a forest green version of Bianca in a hunter's uniform standing next to it. A card with Hades on it is in a fiery orange and a red skull lies beneath it. The Hades figurine that Bianca had me give him is held in one of Bianca's hands in a rich sanguine.  
Nico has tears in his eyes from seeing Bianca. So do Artemis and I. I shift back and he looks at me. "I think the Hades figurine is your personal symbol." I say quietly.  
"Whats wrong with you three?" Selene asks and Ezekeiel nudges my leg.  
"That girl on his back is his late sister, she was a hunter of Artemis for a short time before she died, sacrificing herself so a quest could continue." I whisper and Selene nods, understanding crossing her and Ezekeiel's features.  
I turn back into a wolf and stand by Artemis's side. Ezekeiel looks at me questioningly and then he walks up to Nico. "Come young one. You can comeplete the rest of the ritual quickly if we go now." He tells Nico, who just nods and turns into a royal blue wolf, his tattoos do not show though.  
Nico yelps. "Why is my fur blue?!"  
"Why is my fur gold?" I retort and walk over to him.  
"You can't really tell because I'm not all the way solidified, but my fur is supposed to be silver." Ezekeiel chimes in.  
"How come your fur has pictures on it?" NIco asks me.  
"Those are my tattoos. The black wolf is this wolf with all the symbols on it when I'm human. It used to be my fur color, but since I became a Guardian officially it turned to this." I answer.  
"Are my tattoos on me?" Nico asks and turns around in a circle.  
The four of us laugh at him and I answer, "No. Neither do Ezekeiel's. I'm just different from most. I'm not sure if I'm supposed torun with you or wait for you with Lady Selene and Artemis." I look at the goddess and Titaness.  
"We aren't for sure either." Artemis looks to Selene.  
"It does raise a curious question." Selene muses.  
"I think you are to wait at the end with Lady Artemis and Selene." Ezekeiel says after thinking for a little while.  
"But won't he need my help like I needed yours when we created it?" I ask and look up at our new constellation.  
"No, you are different. His Light Path has shot in roughly the same direction as mine did. You can run with us for most of it. You know where it ends." He tells me.  
"I will join you then." I say and we look at Nico. He walks in between us and we all take off.  
We run while Ezekeiel and I answer questions that Nico has. I know we are nearing andI flash away. I appear next to Artemis and Selene and turn back into my human form.  
"They near." I tell them and they both smile and nod at me.  
After waiting for a few minutes, the wolves burst through the trees. Nico and Ezekeiel bound around me and howl into the air. Nico sits in front of me and Ezekeiel sits in front of Selene. I smile at Nico and he turns human.  
"For your final test, you must save a damned soul and bring him to the light." Artemis says with a disgusted look on her face.  
"Although I don't like him, I won't deny you the chance to try. His name is Malath and he is the soul I damned at the end of my test. So short a time he has payed for his crimes, but there is nothing I can do to turn the tides of fate." I sigh.  
"Where is he?" Nico asks.  
"Currently, he resides in the Fields of Punishment, in the realm of your father." Artemis says.  
"Which part of it?" Nico asks curiously.  
I clear my throat. "In the worst part for destroying a Guardian's symbol."  
"Which Guardian?" Nico inquires.  
"Me." Ezekeiel says and turns into his human form.  
"Oh, he did that?" Nico turns to him.  
"Yes. Perseus here gave me justice and helped return my symbol to the mortal world and gave it a Protector." Ezekeiel informs him.  
"Awesome." Nico grins.  
"Indeed it was." Ezekeiel smiles and punches my shoulder playfully. I punch him in return.  
"Go now young one." Selene says.  
Artemis and I join hands and point our other ones at him. He shimmers away and Artemis looks at me. "Are you sure he is capable?"  
"Yes. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't." I chuckle. I walk over and sit down on the leaves of the two symbols. The other three join me and I lean against of the trunk of the Verafold. I close my eyes and nod off.  
~Five Hours Later~ "I'm gone for a little bit and you are napping? That's fair." A voice wakes me up.  
"Pretty much." I say as I open my eyes.  
"You drool when you sleep." Nico comments and I freeze. He notices. "What's wrong?"  
"She said that when I first met her. Those were the first words she spoke to me." I hiss and Nico's eyes widen. "293 years ago she told me that and I still remember it like it was yesterday." I say angrily.  
"What? I'm sorry." Nico tells me.  
"Don't worry about it. It's in the past." I tell him and stand up. "I see you've been sucessful in your mission." I say, looking at thecowering man.  
Nico pushes him forward to stand in front of me and Ezekeiel comes forward. "I see the young Guardian has branded you." Ezkeiel is the first to acknowledge him. A miniature Hades figurine brand is on Malath's forehead.  
"Y-yes. I-I'm truly sorry for what I did to your symbol, Guardian of Selene. Please forgive me." Malath begs and turns to me. "I deserved what you did to me and now I see where I went wrong in my life before."  
Ezekeiel and I look at each other, then we both search Malath's eyes. I nod, "Glad to see you finally realize what you did was wrong."  
"I accept your apology. I believe your words. You are now the Protector of The Third Moon's Guardian's symbol. Do well." Ezekeiel tells him.  
"Did Lady Artemis die?" Malath looks shocked.  
"No, I became a god after I last saw you and one of my domains is the moon." I tell him.  
"Congratulations." Malath tells me.  
I smile slightly. "Thank you."  
"Y-your welc-come." Malath shies away.  
"I'm not going to hurt you Malath." I sigh.  
"You know my name?" He looks surprised.  
"I do. You can stop being afraid. I have no qualms with you now. Just protect my Guardian's symbol well." I tell him and he nods.  
"I swear I will. But where will I stay?" He asks sullenly. "I cannot live in the mortal world. I don't know how anymore."  
"Follow me then. I have a place where you will be welcomed." I say and start walking. He reluctantly walks beside me.  
"You are young." Malath comments after a long time.  
I bark with laughter and he looks at me funny. "I'm three hundred and five years of age. I was in Tartarus for a long while, that is like painful immortality and only then was I rescued. I could still be considered 17 when I was officially immortalized. I should be 20, but I am 305. I just look like my body did when I was 17." I chuckle at Malath's wide eyes.  
"Did you do something bad to be sent there?" He asks curiously.  
"No. The one I thought I loved with all my heart was and still is a traitor. She dragged me down into that cursed place where she and other evil entities tortured me. I did nothing to anyone." I answer and he scrutinizes my stoic expression.  
"I am sorry. Someone so young doesn't deserve to go to that place." Malath says and looks ahead.  
"Funny thing is...that was the second time I was down there." He looks back at me with raised eyebrows. "The first time, I fell with that girl to save her on a quest to save the gods." He nods and returns his gaze in front of us.  
"Where are we going?" He asks after a little bit.  
"My domains consist of many things. But I am your patron for you are a Protector. Can't you feel it?" I smile at him and he nods after a little bit. "We are going to the Valley of Protectors and Tenders. That is where you can stay. As a Protector, you can enter there and the Realm of the Moon. But you cannot enter the other new Vallies because you are not titled for them. Youcan look upon them, but you cannot enter them."  
"You mean I have a place here?" He asks excitedly.  
"Yes, since you are a Protector. I myself have not had the chance to enter any of the Vallies, but I know the layout of them. You have your own house. Explore all you want. You can even recruit Tenders, though they would just protect the one figurine. Nico is only connected to that one, not all of its copies. It might be a good idea however, because if people come after it, only you would be protecting it. Guardians can enter this Valley because their Protectors and Tenders are there and they can give you permission to enter the Valley of the Guardians." I tell him.  
"I have a house?" He asks.  
"Yes. You have a residence in a place you are most welcome." I clap his shoulder.  
The others flash in behind us and start walking. Artemis comes up to me and takes my hand. "He still needs your blessing and he will be your Guardian officially, then Selene can brand him so he is named." Artemis tells me. We all stop and I walk over to Nico and put my hand on his shoulder. He glows silver and royal blue, making him shine brightly. Selene places her palm onhis forehead and his Brand glows as a white half moon. I hover my hand over his head and draw the last of his burdens out of him. The light I gather shoots from my hand and goes to his Hades figurine shining brightly on a pedastal in the garden beside mine.  
"It is done." Selene grins at Nico.  
"Welcome Guardian." I smile at Nico and we all continue.  
Several vallies appear in our view as we leave the fringes of the foliage. I point to one on the far right. "That is the Valley of Protectors and Tenders. Your new home. Go ahead and explore. The house that belongs to you has Nico's symbol on it." I tell him.  
He looks at me and tears spring from his eyes. "Thank you." He tells me and bows, then runs down the slope and into the valley. I smile at his retreating figure.  
"Lady Selene and Ezekeiel, you are welcome among any of the Vallies." I tell them and they smile as they glow bright for asecond. Then the light fades.  
"Thank you." They both say.  
"Once I became a god, all people and creatures were informed of their new homes. They may enter at any time. Several portals that only they can enter have formed all over the world in nature. I can feel them exploring the new places. They found everything." Then I sigh. "Which means I am Lycaon's patron. Olympus save me." I pinch the bridge of my nose.  
"Indeed you are. Though I'm not happy about it, it is nice to finally have one." Lycaon's voice comes from the direction of the Valley of Wolves and Werewolves.  
I look at him and just roll my eyes. "Why have you sought me out?" I ask him impatiently.  
"I wished to meet you in all your godly glory." He says sarcastically and waves his arms around dramatically. Then he turns serious. "Actually, since I know you are now Lady Artemis's mate, I need to make my peace with her and her hunters. Since you share that domain with her as well, that is another now we are officially on the side of the gods."  
Artemis looks surprised and I'm downright shocked. "Very well." I say and he comes forward. His pack follows and brush against my legs and Artemis's. I crouch down and pet them while Artemis and Lycaon start talking fast. In the end, they make their peace and Lycaon is smiling.  
"Hopefully we won't have to worry too much about silver now." Lycaon shakes Artemis's hand.  
"Just watch out for some of the older ones." Artemis reminds him and he nods.  
"We like our new place by the way." Lycaon turns to me and I smile at him.  
"The Grove of the Wolves and Werewolves." I say and he nods. "The other special places in the vallies are: Hall of theGuardians, Arena of Protectors and Tenders, Temple of the Dead, Shrine of Lost Huntresses, and Sanctuary of Companions." I turn to Ezekeiel. "Your Companion is now residing in the Valley of Companions. You can go see him if you wish. I know it has been a long time. Danfin wishes to see you again." I motion in the direction of the Valley of Companions.  
Ezekeiel just stares at me until his eyes look moist. He nods silently and pulls Selene along with him after bear hugging me. I watch as they disappear over a hill. Delilah comes running over the same hill and she is grinning like crazy.  
"Oh my gods! I love my house!" She squeals and tackles me with a hug.  
I laugh and hug her back. "Glad to hear it." I tell her.  
She pulls away and turns to Lycaon. "You are a werewolf. I'm a shifter. I see you are happy with your new home as well." Then she starts chattering away with him. They walk off while the rest of the pack heads back into the Valley.  
"Why do they call me Wolf Mother?" Artemis turns to me.  
"Because I am Wolf Father." I take her hands in mine. "Relax. I think the hunters are now in the Valley of the Hunt. We should go check on them." I kiss her cheek. She blushes and nods. I lead her down the middle valley's hill, Nico following, and a huge castle stands with a smaller building off to its right and different places to hunt all over. Animals scurry around and sprint for different areas.  
"It's so beautiful." Artemis breathes.  
"Yes, it is. Do you like it?" I ask.  
"I love it. And we can come here anytime?" She asks.  
"Absolutely. You are welcome anywhere in the realm. Especially in my vallies." I smile warmly at her and she returns it.  
She brightens and drags me all over the Valley before we finally reach the doors of the castle. The doors swing open at mine and Artemis's presences.  
The hunters are all jumping and exploring with excitement and when they all see us, they bound over and doggy pile me. Artemis is giggling over my situation.  
"Girls! Why all the hugging?" I laugh as they get off of me and Artemis pulls me to my feet.  
"This place is so cool!" Thalia exclaims.  
"Thank you. You each have a room to stay in. It is your home." I gesture around us and they all start screaming in delight. I cover my sensitive ears and Artemis just smiles and joins in.  
After about ten minutes, they all crowd around me. Phoebe pries my hands off my ears and puts her hands on her hips. "Howam I Poseidon's Guardian?" She demands.  
"I only named you for what I can see." I answer. "Has Poseidon named you?" I ask.  
"Yes, he has. He told me that I don't have to leave the Hunt if I don't want to, but I know I have to. I'm sorry my lady." Phoebe turns to Artemis with tears in her eyes.  
Artemis embraces Phoebe and looks at me pleadingly. "Can you do anything?" Artemis asks me.  
"I'm not for sure, Phoebe would not have a room here if she would not be allowed to stay. As a Guardian, she would normally have already lost her place in the Hunt, but retained your blessing. I do not know what it means. It may be because I am her patron in two of my domains. Did Poseidon tell you anything else regarding the Hunt?" I say.  
"He said that my first mission was to be happy and do what I wanted unless I was called upon because he has armies to protect him. He told me I could feel when he was in danger and can flash anywhere. I'm fully immortal now too." Phoebe says.  
I smile. "Then Phoebe, you can stay in the Hunt sister. He gave you permission."  
She wipes her tears. "Really?" She asks.  
"Yes. If there is one thing I still believe Poseidon is, it's that he is an easy going and understanding god." I tell her and put ahand on her shoulder.  
"Percy!" Clarisse yells as she runs through the open doors. She bounds over and hugs me full on. "This is so awesome!" Clarisse yells.  
"Okay. What is?" I ask.  
"The Realm of the Sun! Though the marrying and loving Apollo is a little different, it is great!" Clarisse says and pulls away. "They are making me a goddess. Weird if you ask me, but I understand. Apollo says it is the same for Artemis's Guardian, but she never wears a ring." Clarisse says, and dangles my left hand in front of our faces.  
"Uh...that's because I couldn't propose to her until I was made a god and I was waiting to tell the Hunt. Seems like I don't have to now." I say nervously.  
"My lady?" Phoebe turns to Artemis and she nods.  
"The rest of you either need permission from the god you are a Guardian of to stay within the Hunt. If you are just Guardian of a domain, but not of a god, then you can stay. So, Kerra, Crena, Layla, and Joslyn, you have to ask. Have you been named?" I ask.  
They all say they have been named. "Lady Hestia gave me permission to stay with our sisters." Crena tells me. I nod.  
"I have not received permission from Lady Athena." Joslyn sighs. "I even asked her already." She says sadly.  
"Lord Hephaestus tells me he wishes to keep me by his side and I am to his bride, since he not married to Aphrodite anymore, he is no longer going to trap her and Ares. And Aphrodite is marrying that boy, Raphael." Layla tells me.  
"I am to be Ares's wife." Kerra tells me.  
"You should all know, that as Guardians, and since I am your patron, you can run with me wherever I am just like you do with the Hunt." I whisper softly and they all look at me strangely before their faces burst with happiness.  
"Why is Nico outside with wolves running around with him?" Thalia asks.  
Nico runs in and looks at me. "Dude, the wolves want me to play with them because I'm your Guardian." Nico says out of breath.  
"You can if you want." I chuckle at him.  
"Wait, if he is your Guardian and you are god of the Moon, doesn't he have to..." Clarisse looks puzzled.  
"No, my Guardian is different." I laugh and Nico looks at me funny.  
"What do you mean?" He asks.  
"I am to marry Artemis because I'm her Guardian. Just like Ezekeiel married Selene." I tell him slowly and he pales.  
"Oh." Nico squeaks in a small voice. I know about what he felt for me before, but now he doesn't. He just doesn't like to be reminded.  
"But I do know who you are to be paired with, though she might not like it..." I trail off.  
"Who?" Nico asks.  
"She knows deep down, but I'll let her tell you. It's really awkward for me and ironic because of what she is Guardian of. Though, I am marrying the goddess of Virginity and Maidens, I guess it's not that ironic." I say.  
"Who is it?" Nico demands firmly.  
"Thalia Grace, Guardian of Maidens." I whisper really quiet. Only Artemis hears and she starts laughing. I glare at her playfully and sheshe laughs harder.  
"Say it louder." Nico orders.  
"THALIA GRACE, GUARDIAN OF MAIDENS!" I yell and he turns bright red. Thalia is brighter than he is.  
"Uh...I...uh..." Nico can't form words.  
Thalia grabs one of his arms and drags him deeper into the castle. "I hope he doesn't have to reform. That would really suck." I say and everybody bursts into a fit of giggles while I boom with laughter. "Maybe something totally opposite will happen. I am unsure." This makes the girls all giggle hysterically. "Now I must take care of some situations. A lot of situations. Artemis, you must release those who cannot stay of their oaths, but they can keep your blessing." I tell her and she nods. I brush myfingertips along her cheek and walk out of the castle.  
~Eight Hours Later~ "So much change and all because people have turned immortal." I groan as I collapse on a couch in the Hunt's castle.  
Artemis crashes onto me as soon as I lay down. "It's not like it's your fault." She says, settling onto my stomach. She pats my knee.  
"So you feel the need to sit on me do you?" I chuckle. "Yes, well, Reyna and Frank have a month to find new praetors. I have assigned new Protectors to their symbols. Bestowed my blessing upon all Guardians, including Ezekeiel. Named Companions for the Guardians and Protectors. Showed them all around in their respective Vallies. Forgiven most people and Grover almost had a heart attack when he saw Pan again. Then I had to keep prying off all the nature spirits and satyrs that started following me around. Now I am being called the Savior of the Wild. And I've given my blessing to the hunters and every Protector. Thereis a Hall of Rituals somewhere around the realm that explains all Guardian naming rituals. Clarisse became goddess of Weapons, Combat, and Sunlight. Raphael is now god of Swords, Hand to Hand Combat, Serenades, and Aubades. Kerra is now goddess of Serenity. Layla is goddess of Machinery and Solitude." I stand upand look at Artmis while she sits down. "Ares, Hephaestus, Raphael, Nico, Jason, and Frank have proposed to Kerra, Layla, Aphrodite, Thalia, Piper, and Hazel." I take a deep breath and kneel in front of Artemis. "And now it is my turn. Artemis, goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, will you marry me?" I ask her.  
Artemis looks surprised, but it melts into a warm smile. "I will." She chokes out. I pull out the ring and slip it onto her finger. She studies the band and her eyes widen. "It's magnificent. Who made it?" She looks up at me as I sit next to her.  
I smile. "I did." She kisses my cheek and it tingles as she infuses her lips with moonlight.  
The ring is a gleaming Olympian silver band that ends in two wolves fighting over a white diamond. Inside is the inscription, 'Savior and Love of the Third Moon' and the diamond has a royal blue North Star shining in its center. The one wolf's eyes have ocean blue sapphires and the other one's are sea green emeralds. The one wolf is Imperial gold and the other is Olympian Silver.  
"Are we going to tell my Father and brother?" Artemis looks at me and I just shake my head. She looks at me questioningly.  
"I already did." I tell her.  
"What did they say?" She asks nervously.  
"Well, Zeus threatened to kill me very painfully if I ever hurt his baby girl and Apollo said he would torture me eternally if I let anything happen to his twin sibling. The sun darkened to prove his point and Zeus stung me with the master bolt to prove his. All in all, I say it went pretty okay." I chuckle at her face.  
"I am not a baby." She seethes, but her face softens. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah. I figured it would make them feel better, so I just let them say what they wanted. The master bolt made me laugh as soon as I left Zeus in the throne room. It tickled." I laugh and she giggles along with me.  
"When is the wedding?" Artemis questions.  
"The same time as everyone else's. Aphrodite and Hera are determined to make the huge wedding extraordinary. Though I think it is going to look weird with all the different colors and the color monster raided Olympus. Oh, and good news, Zeus finally is making good on his promise from when I made my first wish as a sixteen year old. Your mother, Calypso, and all the other peaceful Titans and their kids are being released. Leo and I had a chat long ago about that wish and today he almost made me reform from fire hugs." I tell her.  
"My mother? What did Apollo do?" Artemis brightens and kisses me full on.  
After pulling away for air, I answer her, "Yes, your mother is being released tomorrow with all the others. Apollo broke down crying, didn't let go of me while squeezing me to dath for about an hour, and now he is hyper with Clarisse trying to calm him down." I tell her breathlessly.  
She grins and crushes me in a hug. "Thank you."  
"She should've been released long ago. Hephaestus left to inform Calypso of everything that has happened since I left her island, including why I never came back for her like I promised." I sigh. "She will either kill me or crush me to death in a hug. Leo is making a ring in his father's forge for her and the wedding isn't until after he proposes." I tell her.  
"I get to see my mother!" Artemis squeals and runs off to tell the girls. I chuckle and lay back down on the couch.  
The minor gods all wish to speak to me sometime later tomorrow. Now that I'm a god, I won't get dreams. Just messages when I sleep. Mrs. O' Leary and Blackjack are exploring the Realm of the Moon and everybody is having a party on Olympus in the courtyard to celebrate my being named an Olympian in a week. All the gods have thanked me and I am overwhelemed.  
I sigh and cover my eyes with my arm. After just lying there thinking about today's events for a long while, I feel a pressure on my stomach. I remove my arm and find Artemis sitting on me again. "Am I that comfortable?" I ask incredulously.  
"Believe it or not, yes you are. This is nice." Artemis giggles.  
"You alright?" I ask and she beams at me.  
"Of course I am. What kind of question is that?" She asks.  
"You have spent thousands of years on this Earth being a maiden and two of your domains aren't exactly in agreement with marriage." I tell her and she smiles at me, causing me to raise an eyebrow.  
"They are my domains, not my personality and I am nervous about it, but that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to." She tells me as she brings her knees to her chest.  
"You've been in your seventeen year old form since I became your Guardian. Why?" I say.  
"To make you feel more welcome and at home. I do change into a younger form when I'm trying to reassure the younger hunters, but I stay in this form most of the time. You can look like your twenty year old self if you think about it." She answers.  
"Thank you. I'm good. I am used to this form, so I might not change out of it for a while. I can't envision myself younger and I can't see myself being older because I became immortal at the age of seventeen. Maybe I'll be in a different look as the years pass, but not right now." I close my eyes.  
"You know, this is going to be weird when it happens." Artemis says and lays a hand on my midsection.  
I open one eye to look at her and close it again. I sigh. "I know. I'm just not going to think about it until it does happen."  
"Do you realize how old I am?" Artemis asks and chuckles lightly.  
"I'm going to pass on answering that question." I reply.  
"Chivalry is the only thing that has died in my opinion. I can't believe you still are gentlemanly. That Nico boy, he seems like you in manners when addressing a lady." Artemis tells me.  
"He is technically over 80 years of age Artemis. He was born in that era wear ladies were supposedly dainty and unable to cae of themselves even though they were left to take care of the kids. He has had a hard time adjusting to life in the mortal is having a harder time, but I think now she's up to speed." I say.  
I open my eyes to find her face two inches from mine and smile. "How come I can't ever surprise you when I get close to you like this?" She asks exasperated.  
I look into her eyes. "You know why." I answer her calmly and kiss her nose. "Maybe one day you'll get me, but not anytime soon. It is still what my body is used to and I've reminded myself of it everyday of my life for the past three years."  
She frowns and lays her head on my chest, tucks her feet in between my legs and the couch, and rests her hands on my chest and couch. "It isn't fair. I remember you when you were fourteen. You were so alive and happy. Carefree and uncaring about yourself and only for those you loved, even when Zoe was mean to you. You still would've died for her whether or not she came to like you."  
I rub my thumb across her face while my hand carresses her cheek. "I'm alive now, just with different things to fight for. If anything, I'm more fierce in my caring nature to protect those I love."  
"But you aren't as playful and you lost your troublemaker outlook on the world." Artemis argues.  
"Lost my mischief side, eh?" I flash my old smile at her and she looks at me. "Not playful?" I ask. I flip her over so she is on the couch. "I can still be playful." I growl playfully and she grins. I pin her hands and get close to her face. "I'm just more serious when I need to be, I don't have to be right now."  
"Okay, I believe you." She giggles.  
I kiss her and switch places with her again. "Good." I laugh as she catches her breath.  
"You're mental." Artemis giggles.  
"Maybe, but at least I'm a good kind of mental." I chuckle.  
"What are you two doing? It's two in the morning and you are messing around like teenagers on a high." Thalia yawns.  
"Thalia, we are teenagers at the moment and we are high on the drug called love. Therefore your point is valid. Why are you up?" I answer.  
"We couldn't sleep. We came to see what the noise was." Phoebe covers her mouth as she yawns.  
"Look at how cozy milady is." Thalia laughs.  
"It's not my fault he is comfortable." Artemis rolls off of me and stands up.  
"Nor is it mine." I sit up and get off the couch.  
"So, Lady Artemis...I see Perseus proposed." Phoebe looks at the ring.  
Atemis lifts her hand and Thalia grins hugely. "Percy?" She asks.  
"Yeah sis?" I reply tiredly.  
"Out of all the goddeses you have laid eyes on, who is the most pretty?" Thalia asks.  
"Artemis." I answer immediately and I yawn.  
"On a scale of 1-goddess, what is Lady Artemis?" Phoebe joins in the game.  
"Off the charts." I tell them and walk in between them, patting them on the heads as I go. "I'm dead tired girls, I love Artemiswith all my heart, she is better than any woman in the universe, now I am going to bed, you need to sleep for your fun days tomorrow." I turn down a hall to the left.  
"What are we doing?" Thalia calls.  
"You'll see when I wake up." I call back sleepily.  
I walk into my room and fall onto my bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm out like a light. 


	25. Chapter 25

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Perseus!" I wake up to Artemis screaming my name excitedly and someone jumping on my stomach. It is Artemis who is jumping on me.  
"What?" I ask gorggily.  
"Wake up, wake up, wake up! They are about to set free all the peaceful Titans! My mother!" She squeals in delight. "Doesn't this hurt?" She asks still jumping on me.  
"Not really and yes I know. What time is it?" I look at her. She plops down into a cross-legged position, right on top of where she was jumping.  
"Eight in the morning." She says in a sing song voice.  
"Someone is happy. Did you get any sleep?" I say.  
"Yep, just woke up." She flicks my nose.  
"Wonderful. I suppose you won't leave until I get up." I say and she nods.  
I sit up and she falls onto the bed, but expertly rolls off and lands on the floor. She is practically vibrating with energy. I walk into the bathroom and do all the humanly stuff. When I come back out dressed in my hoodie and skinny jeans, I see is dressed similar. I have a black hoodie and black pants, while she has a silver hoodie and light blue skinny jeans. Thalia and Phoebe bust in and start firing questions at me.  
"What are we doing?" Thalia screams.  
"Tell us. Where are we going?" Phoebe says and then their questions string together into one big bowl of, 'I can't understand gibberish.'  
"Girls!" I say and they stop talking, but look at me expetantly. "First of all, Poseidon wants you back at Atlantis for a surprise Phoebe and Thalia has to accompany you so it makes you feel more at home. I believe you will like it. The rest of the Hunt gets to have fun in the Realm of the Moon today or come with Artemis and I to meet the returning Titans that remain peaceful all the time. I hope you both enjoy your time on Atlantis. There is an arcade down their by the way and I do believe you can play for free because of who you sare...so, have fun." I tell them.  
They brighten and get evil grins on their faces. "Sweet." They say.  
"Behave, but I won't blame you if you prank the merpeople mercilessly. Just don't torture the males too much and you should be fine." I say and they nod. "I believe you can handle the flashing in part. Oh, and Thalia, with my blessing you can enter the sea without any problem and he can't do anything even if you didn't because of the Guardian thing. Phoebe, just help her breathe until Poseidon grants her underwater breathing for the day."  
"That all, mom?" Thalia teases.  
"Almost." Artemis smiles and they both turn to her. "Don't let Poseidon talk you into anything that revolves around getting him closer to Percy. He needs to do it himself." They nod seriously and flash out.  
"You didn't have to do that. I need to talk with Poseidon sometime anyways." I sigh. "I should do it soon." I rub my temples.  
Artemis grabs my hands and holds them to her. "Do you want me to come with you when you do it?"  
"No." I kiss her cheek. "But thank you for offering. I need to do it myself."  
She nods. "Alright. The girls want to see you." Artemis leads me out of my room and down the hall all the way to the end. She opens the door and slips outside to make sure everybody is dressed.  
I remember when a couple hunters burst into my tent one morning and were out of breath because of the helhound pack on their trail, they turned around and Artemis chewed me out. Then apologized when she realized it wasn't my fault. The two girls avoided me all day and apologized at night. I just shrugged it off. They were awkward for a while, but eventually gotcomfortable around me again.  
Artemis opens the door after ten minutes and pulls me into the room. Lucy comes up to me and hops up and down. "What isthere to do around here that is fun?" She asks and all attention turns to me.  
"Well, it's your home. Why don't you find out." I tell her and poke her in the stomach, making her giggle.  
"Sir Perseus?" An older voice comes from the door.  
I turn to find a man of about 47 standing in the doorway. "Uh...yes?" I ask uncertainly.  
"Who are you?" Artemis asks curiously.  
"I am a servant in this castle. I am here to serve the needs of those who live here, Lady Artemis." He replies respectfully and stands at attention.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up one second." I wave my hands in front of me in a, 'Stop everything because I can't believe what I'm hearing.' "Since when do I have servants?" I ask seriously.  
"Most gods and goddesses have them. I have to keepone in my palace to keep it clean, though I have tried many a time to relieve her of her duties. Father won't hear any of it." Artemis scowls.  
"Lord Perseus, I-" The man starts.  
"Oh no. None of that Lord crap. I don't like that title. Just call me Perseus if you must use my full name. Are you the only servant?" I interrupt him.  
"Lord Perseus, I must address you as such because it is part of my job. Now I'll just do it to show my respect. There is only one other and she is the cook. A young woman of 32." The man replies.  
I sigh in frustration. "Why is it always so much to ask that I not be called Lord?" I ask the ceiling. "Very well then. What are your names?" I ask the man.  
He looks surprised then smiles at me. "I am Crichon and the lady is Naisha. She is trying to prepare breakfast for the Hunt. There are servants in all of your vallies ready to serve the residents."  
"You're kidding." I deadpan and he shakes his head. "Olympus save me. I will pray to any deity just for them not to call memaster. Just don't let it happen. This is bad, I like doing things myself, not being waited on." I groan.  
"Lighten up." Atalanta elbows me in the side. "At least he's nice. You won't touch any of us will you?" Atalanta turns to the man.  
"Of course not. It is against this household's moral code. Whatever Lord Perseus thinks is wrong, we do not do. It's in the entrance hall." Crichon points over his shoulder. "The only time I would ever lay a finger on you is to help you up or bind a wound if necessary. But Naisha will handle the majority of the injuries if the need arises. Or to catch you if you trip or something. That's the general idea. It's the same in all the households Lord Perseus has. I'm one of five male servants." I groan. "The other ten are women to assist the ladies of the areas. And each house has a servant of its own to serve the residents. From what I've heard overnight, all of us are being treated kindly. It's one of the rules." Crichon points over his shoulder again.  
"A gossipchain. Lovely." I say and Crichon chuckles.  
"Naisha heard from another cook over in the Valley of Guardians. Lord Jason is a lovely chap according to Martha, she is Piper's maid." Crichon says. A bell goes off. "That would be breakfast. Naisha is probably geting impatient already. Follow me." He says and we all come with him.  
We enter the huge dining hall and all the girls fight over seats. A woman, I assume Naisha, comes out grinning at all the girls. She snaps her fingers and plates appear with food on them in front of all of us. I stand and walk over to Naisha and Crichon.  
"Are you two eating with us?" I ask when I see four empty chairs.  
They look taken aback. "We couldn't possibly-" Naisha starts.  
"Don't be ridiculous. You can eat with us anytime." I smile at her. I offer my hand and she takes it shyly. I lead her over to one of the empty chairs and pull it out for her. She reluctantly sits down and I push her in. Crichon hesitantly sits down next to her. The girls jump on them with questions. I snap my fingers and two dishes of the same food appear in front of them. I smile at the interaction between them and the girls.  
"Percy!" Nico yells from the doorway.  
"What do you need?" I ask.  
"Dude, I smell bacon. My room is awesome and I can't find Thals." He says and walks over.  
"She left with Phoebe to Atlantis." I tell him.  
"Oh, well I hope she doesn't drown and has fun." Nico grins. Then his lieutenant's band of silver appears on his head and he groans. "Why won't it stay off?" He complains.  
"Because as my Guardian you are the lieutenant of all Guardians. If you take it off, it'll just apear again. It's like Thalia's for the Hunt. Like it or not, it's there to stay." I chuckle at his scowl.  
"Seriously bro? I feel weird with it on." Nico asks.  
"Not my problem. You are my eternal lieutenant." I ruffle his hair.  
"Can I get some food?" He asks.  
I snap my fingers and his food appears on the table next to Crichon. Nico sits down and starts talking with the man eagerly. I sit back down next to Artemis and start in on my food.  
After we finish we all sit and talk. "Percy." Jade whines. "What can we do for fun?"  
"Would you like me to show you to the game room? Or perhaps the training room?" Crichon asks politely.  
"I can even take you around the valley or we could hang out in different parts of the castle." Naisha smiles.  
"Can we go to see the Shrine of the Lost Huntresses? I wan't to see who all is there." A little girl asks, Susan, a daughter of Hermes.  
"I can take you." A voice says. I turn to se Delilah. "Percy, Lycaon is so nice. You should talk to him more. You'd like him." She tells me grinning.  
"I'll take your word for it friend. Maybe I will visit him and the pack a little bit. However, I am busy today. You hanging out with the girls today?" I smile at her.  
"Totally." Delilah answers. "Shrine? It has all the dead hunter's pictures, old gear, and life-like holograms for you to look at. A description under each name and you can add to their memorials." She turns to the hunters.  
"I call field trip to the Shrine and then hang out in the different rooms here!" Jade screams in her hyperactive way.  
"While you girls have fun, Artemis and I are going to meetings all day." I tell them and some of the younger ones stick their tongues out at me. "Hey now, I'm still your big brother. Big brother status requires me to tell you that I can totally get you back in my mischievous pranking ways." I laugh at their mock horror faces and then they all grin evilly.  
"We can just as easily prank you." Atalanta challenges.  
"I do believe the score is Percy 106, hunters 0. Last time I checked. After three years, you still haven't gotten me." I laugh at their pouty faces.  
"My mother! She is being released and summoned to the throne room in an hour. Come on!" Artemis exclaims and flashes us into the throne room.  
All the gods are already there and Artemis and I walk to our thrones and sit.  
"Nice of you to join us." Zeus smiles at the both of us.  
"I see my father is absent in his festivities." I comment.  
"Yes, so is- Wait, did you just call Poseidon your father?" Zeus looks at me.  
"Yeah, it's about time I forgave him completely." I sigh and look at his throne. The power exuding from the seat is comforting once again.  
"Good. As I was saying, Aphrodite and Ares are also absent in their celebrations. Hephaestus is in his forge of a palace on Olympus with his fiance and Hades is in much the same situation as Poseidon with his Guardian." Zeus tells me.  
"Yes. I figured as much. I hope Raphael is okay. I notice Apollo too is not here." I look at my soon to be brother-in-law's throne.  
"He is enjoying his bride's company in showing her around places." Zeus says and rolls his eyes. "Did you do it?" He asks and glances at Artemis.  
Artemis smirks and holds up her hand with the ring on it. I gesture in her direction and Zeus looks at his daughter. His jaw drops and Hera is bouncing in her seat with excitement.  
"My little boy is getting married!" Hera shrieks with joy and Artemis and Hera start chattering away.  
Demeter is looking at me sadly and I look back at her. "What is wrong Lady Demeter? You are never sad." I ask her.  
"Do I have a Guardian?" She asks with a hopeful expression.  
I facepalm. "I am so sorry Lady Demeter. I lost track during yesterday's events. Yes, you do have a Guardian." I wave my handand a boy of nineteen appears. "Martin Julios, son of Invidia, Roman aspect of Nemesis, goddess of Revenge, and Guardian of the Harvest and Sacred Law." She looks at me funny.  
"Not many people still remember that I am the goddes of Sacred Law." Demeter smiles warmly at me..  
"Yes, you also preside over the cycle of life and death. Just as the seasons cycle, so do the cycles of life and death." I smile back at her. She looks shocked. "In the old myths, you wielded your father's scythe and that is what made people even more scared of you. It is why it is your symbol. In modern society, mortals have coincide the scythe with death. I guess you're one ofthe reasons for that little popular belief." She grins and nods.  
Demeter turns to Martin and he nods. They flash away and Artemis is smiling proudly at me. I wink and she giggles. She turns back to Hera and Zeus. Hestia and Crena are over at the hearth and are enjoying themselves immensely by the huge smiles they wear. Dionysus is talking with Malcolm about the various stages and their uses of insanity and sanity. Nico strolls in and sits on the cushion at my throne's feet. I shrink and sit next to him on another cushion I summon.  
"How was the Shrine?" I ask.  
"The older girls and the ones who knew a few of them started crying. But they were adding detailed stories with each huntress and how they received the news of their deaths. Max is hanging out with Mrs. O' Leary today." Nico informs me. Max is his Hellhound Companion. His human form resembles him, but a little taller until Nico fills out in his immortality. As of right now, he's sixteen. He is still growing. He almost had a heart attack when I summoned his Companion.  
I have a wolf, he has a hellhound, Jason has a hellhound, Thalia has a white tiger, Phoebe has a panther that can breathe underwater, Piper's is an owl, Joslyn's is a snake, Kerra's is a falcon, Layla has a phoenix, Jade has a lion, Leo has a polar bear, Raphael's is a zebra, Frank's is a pachyderm, Hazel has a fox, Martin now has a leopard, Reyna has a cheetah, Nerina's is a pegasus, Jamison's is an armadillo, Malcolm's is a meerkat, Atalanta has a lynx, Kiara's is a chocolate colored bunny, Sarah has a chipmunk, Monique has a cockatoo, Lucy has a raven, a koala, and a squirrel, Clarisse has an otter, Crena's is a very hyper sloth, Jack's is a penguin, and Owen's is a kangaroo. Lucy has three because she is Guardian of Animals, but that's not my point or is it? Maybe it is. Most of the Companion's are exploring their areas in the valley they call home and can travel into different vallies for their Guardians.  
"Were they happy to see them again though?" I ask.  
"Yes, they even have the huntresses that were kicked out of the Hunt." Nico says sadly.  
"I suppose the Shrine would. It keeps track of all of them." I tell him.  
"And the ones who were released for other reasons." Nico tells me.  
"Those ones are allowed in the Valley because they were once part of the Hunt. They can visit whenever they wish." I say.  
"Your throne looks cool." Nico comments.  
I chuckle. "Thanks." He nods.  
"The girls said you can sing. Can you?" Nico asks.  
"I can. You missed it when I first arrived in camp the other day." I reply.  
"Darn, I'll have to pay closer attention then." Nico snickers.  
"You'll probably hear me tonight. The girls like it when I sing to them to help them sleep. Since they all have their own rooms, I'll have to project my voice for all of them to hear." I sigh.  
Artemis lands in my lap and I moan in complaint. She punches my shoulder playfully as I settle into campfire style. "Must you sit on me all the time?" I look at her incredulously.  
"Yes. You are comfy." She declares. I roll my eyes and Nico is laughing.  
I glance at Zeus and Hera to find Zeus eyeing the situation and Hera beaming at the interaction. "What is so funny, Guardian?" I turn to Nico while I wrap my arms around Artemis's waist.  
"Your face when you were sat on." Nico starts laughing again.  
"Whatever. It's not like I'm going to refute her sitting on me." I roll my eyes and Artemis giggles.  
"Big vocabulary there Perseus." Athena comments from her throne, talking with Joslyn.  
"Yes, Lady Athena. I have vast knowledge over the world of english. I blame my sisters and my curiosity over books I can actually read. I only act like an idiot, or did in my case. Dyslexia discourages you when you find out you have it." I tell her.  
"Interesting. I can see you are a walking dictionary. Before you were only a fraction of that." She replies. "Insouciance?" She inquires.  
"Nonchalant or indiferent." I answer without thinking.  
"Malefactor?" Athena asks.  
"One who commits an evil act." I reply.  
"Zenith?" Athena presses.  
"Highest point." I say.  
"Loquacious?"  
"Talkative."  
"Susurrus?"  
"Whispering."  
"Acrasia?"  
"Lack of self-control. We have established I have a wider range of words. Can we please not further my learning of things I already know about?" I say.  
"Oh alright." Athena huffs annoyed and I roll my eyes while Joslyn is laughing under her breath.  
~Half An Hour Later~ Calypso screams, "Percy!" and tackles me to the ground with a hug. I laugh as I drag us both to her feet after hugging her back.  
"Hey Calypso. Sorry it took so long." I tell her sadly.  
"No, I should have kept faith, I knew you were different. I'm sorry I misjudged you. And I heard about the girl, I am so sorry Percy." Calypso apologizes.  
"Don't worry about it. What matters is you are out now. Leo is somewhere around here...there he is." I point to Leo, who is messing with his fire-proof polar bear, Nutball. I have no idea why, but I think he was excited and unsure of making a name and tht's what came out. The polar bear appears to like it, so no one argues, of course when he turns human, he looks a lot like Leo. Calypso kisses my cheek, thanks me, and runs over to Leo.  
Leto walks up to me next and embraces me tightly before squealing like a schoolgirl and hugging her kids. "Thank you Perseus!" Leto says and starts talking to her kids.  
All the other Titans hug me or shake my hand and thank me. Who comes last surprises me the most, I didn't think Zeus would imprison her. Themis, Titaness of Divine Law.  
In fact, he imprisoned most of the Titanesses, but his mother, Rhea, is not here. According to Chiron when I first discovered my being a demigod, she keeps in touch. Speaking of the Titaness of Motherhood..."Has anybody seen Rhea?" Tethys asks and turns to Zeus.  
"She resides somewhere on the Earth. She only talks to us every once in a great while. She might tell you now that you are free, we have no idea where exactly she is. She has never let us know." Zeus replies sadly. Most of the Titanesses and their children flash out to go get acquainted with the world they've been missing.  
Calypso now wears an engagement ring and is smiling widely as she and Leo walk over to me. The ring is Celestial Bronze with an Imperial Gold dragon holding a fiery red ruby in it's maw. Diamonds are in the dragon's eyes and wings and a tail wrap around the band down to the last detail.  
I smile at them. "Congratulations you two."  
"Thanks Percy." Leo says seriously and I nod. Calypso starts speaking really fast to where not even Leo can tell what she is saying, then she hugs me, kisses Leo, and plays around with Nutball.  
"You are going to have one hell of a time getting her readjusted to the world." I whisper to Leo and he gulps, but grins.  
"At least I have her." Leo whispers back.  
"True." I tell him. "I only caught, 'Oh my Othrys! You planted the moonlace I gave you!' before she started talking too quickly." I say.  
"I only heard, 'I am so excited! What do I do first?! Your polar bear is so cute and fuzzy!'" Leo tells me.  
"She's happy." Artemis smiles at the immortal nymph daughter of Atlas.  
"Why are all of Atlas's kids nymphs or some immortal protector of nature?" I voice my thought and Artemis looks confused.  
"I don't know..." Artemis says.  
"And they are normally like groups of nymphs. I can only think of one son he has had. The rest are daughters." I tell her.  
"Just don't think about it." Artemis rubs her forehead and I nod.  
~Two Hours Later~ After telling the entire council about what happened with my captors before I came to Olympus yesterday, I head to a river bank in an unpopulated area. No civilization for about twenty miles. Further than many humans would walk. I come here at the request of the minor gods. I sit down on the riverbank and watch the water swirl around. Not polluted like so much of the Earth's water is. So sad. Now at least a few people fight for it and clean the water.  
Someone sits next to me. I look over to see Morpheus. I become defensive immediately and he notices. He rolls his eyes. "I will not do anything to harm you." Morpheus speaks in an echoing voice.  
"Right." I say and keep an eye on him.  
"None of us will." A woman's voice comes from behind me.  
I push up off the ground and turn to find many minor gods standing before me, but Nemesis is the one who spoke. "Fine. What did you all want to talk to me about?" I ask.  
"We want to thank you and talk to you about you." Iris smiles at me and comes forward, laying a hand on my shoulder. 


	26. Chapter 26

Point of view: Perseus Jackson I look at Iris and then at all the various minor gods and goddesses who surround me. "Why would you want to talk about me? The thanking part I undrstand even though don't have to, but why talk to me about myself?" I ask and spin around to keep an eye on all of them.  
Iris put a hand on my shoulder again. "Calm down. We are only here to help you as you did us, well them. I did not participatein the war, but you get my point."  
"Help me?" I ask nervously.  
"Yes." Nemesis smiles at me. Bad. Goddess of Revenge smiling at someone is bad. I shake my head and remain silent. "Don't be so stubborn." Nemesis slaps me.  
"Nemesis!" Iris scolds.  
"Oh please Iris. It's not like he is going to do anything." Nemesis starts arguing with Iris.  
I just stare at the two goddesses and Hypnos comes to stand beside me. "We truly do want to help you." Hypnos yawns.  
"What exactly do I need help with?" I ask through gritted teeth.  
"Regaining your missing sense of mercy. Artemis restored your pride and she and the Hunt restored your emotions." Morpheus says, standing on my other side.  
"You were so cold and angry. I could feel you most of all in my domain." Ariana, goddess of colors and emotions walks up to me. "Void of everything but spite and sarcasm." She frowns.  
"He had a right to be." Morpheus tells her.  
"Yes, poor child." Ariana agrees.  
"Look, this is all very touching that you have kept tabs on my well-being, but you don't need to." I say.  
"We are helping you no matter what. We don't like having debts." Nemesis turns back to me.  
"Neither do I. But some debts I cannot repay because of the simple fact that the people I owe are dead. Life goes on LadyNemesis and I have no intention of letting more gods tamper with my life because of my past." I tell her. "I have had enough pity to last me the rest of my immortal life."  
"Suck it up. You're getting our assistance." Iris says.  
"Great. Assist me by leaving me alone." I snap at her and walk down the riverbank after pushing past a few minor gods. They all follow me. I take another step and the scenery around me goes dark. "Morpheus! Hypnos!" I yell in anger and I hear chuckling. Iris, Nemesis, and Ariana appear in front of me.  
"Now that you can't get away, you must listen to us." Ariana says.  
I scoff and start walking through the darkness. They follow along beside me. I pick up the pace until they have to settle with trailing behind me by ten feet. "Stop walking around Perseus." Morpheus's voice complains from all around me. Hypnos yawns and all the other gods and goddesses I cannot see laugh and giggle.  
"Why, does it make it harder for you to keep me here if I do? Must I run in circles to break this cursed spell?" I retort and he huffs angerly.  
Hypnos answers grudgingly, "Yes."  
"Wonderful." I grumble and keep walking.  
"Percy. Not only is your mercy missing, but most of your compassion and purity." Iris tells me as Nemesis tackles me to the ground. I growl at her, but don't stop her from pinning me down to the ground.  
"Won't fight back, huh? Have you grown complacent?" Nemesis asks curiously, but I know she's teasing me.  
I snarl at her. "I don't fight women. The only exceptions being that witch, Gaea, and monsters. It's against what I believe to fight you unless you harm those close to me."  
"So, your chivalry will be your downfall?" Nemesis jokes and I glare at her.  
"I was once told loyalty would get me killed and it very nearly did. Hell, I might have even been dead a few times, but the details are foggy and faint on the occasions I could have." I tell her angrily.  
"You did die." Thanatos appears sitting next to me. "23 times to be exact, but I was closed off from you. You died many times hero. I owe you and your little friends. Consider this my repayment to you, the other two I will repay when I deem it time." His hand starts moving for my chest.  
"What are you doing?" I ask him in an annoyed tone.  
"Returning parts of your soul that were left down in Tartarus." Thanatos answers calmly and he drives his hand into my heart.  
I gasp and choke on my golden blood, Ichor, as his hand twists. Blood runs from the corners of my mouth. I feel something sear into place somewhere along my sternum and I cough, the Ichor splattering on Nemesis's black leather jacket. Several other burning sensations bloom in my chest and my vision goes dark and back several times. I zero in on Thanatos as he pulls his hand out of my heart.  
"What did you do?" I rasp and watch the hole in my chest seal closed.  
"Didn't that hurt?" Ariana asks and sits beside me.  
"No. I have a very high tolerance for pain." I bark out a laugh.  
"I returned your mercy and your compassion. Your purity has also been restored." Thanatos tells me and smiles. Then he disappears in a shimmer of black, tendrils of smoke left in his place.  
"So, your pain receptor is highly strung?" Morpheus cackles.  
"Watch it. I can do things to you that will give you nightmares." I state coldly.  
"Do you feel any different?" Iris sits down on my other side.  
"Yes, I feel warm and fuzzy. I don't like it." I scowl.  
"It's because you were without your compassion for years. Longer than three years, you only retained a little because you were taken into the Hunt." Ariana informs us. "You'll get used to it again." She assures me.  
"Great now I can be that idiot who fell in love with a traitor to her kind." I say sarcastically and laugh humorlessly.  
The goddesses frown at my reaction. "And Artemis? What of her?" Nemesis asks.  
"I already love her. And I know she wouldn't do anything like that, but now you have given me doubt." I tell her angrily.  
Then I just stop moving and look sadly over into the darkness. "I hate myself for everything." I whisper.  
"Did Thanatos even give you compassion?" Ariana seethes.  
"Compassion is the reason I am like this. I fell in love, I lost it. I made so many friends, they either died or betrayed me. I found my real father, only to be disowned. I am too caring to not feel that awful guilt clenching my heart because I am the cause for all of it. Just because I was born into this world." I reply quietly.  
They look at me and Nemesis crawls off of me to sit next to Iris. I don't move, I just stare into space.  
"Oh dear Olympus, did we break him?" Nemesis asks worriedly.  
"Should we wipe his memories?" Hypnos appears next to Ariana and settles next her.  
"Haven't you done enough? Leave me be. Let me be alone with my guilt." I tell them.  
"Someone get Artemis." Ariana says, tears in her eyes because of my depressed aura.  
Iris disappears, only to come back with a smiling Artemis, who soon turns worried sick at the sight of me.  
"What happened?" Artemis demands of the deities around me.  
"W-we..." Morpheus appears next to Hypnos and explains it all.  
"What were you thinking? It had to be brought back slowly and it was starting to. It would have taken a long time, but I just started to get him to come back." She screams at them and they cower from her rage and sorrow. "Percy? Are you okay?" Artemis asks me gently.  
I look up at the endless ceiling. I run a hand over my face and keep it there for a while, then let it drop back down to my side. "I'm fine Artemis." I try for a smile, but it is a weak attempt and doesn't fool her.  
"No. No you're not." Artemis has tears in her eyes.  
"Of course I am. I'm always fine. Just like I was when the wars ended. Just like when Athena got me out. Just like I was when I entered camp for the first time in years." I tell her and this time the smile is better and she shakes her head. She knows it's fake.  
"No, Percy." Artemis's voice quavers.  
"Artemis. I can't talk about it. You already know about it anyways. I told you that night on the river. I told you about what I should have been feeling, but what I couldn't. But I know I could be if I wasn't dead inside. You already know, don't make me say it." I plead with her and close my eyes.  
"Percy. It will kill you if you keep it in." Artemis tells me in a strained tone.  
"I can't Artemis. Not here. Not now. I won't be able to take it." I whisper.  
"Please talk to me Percy. You know you have to." Artemis scolds tightly, I know she doesn't like using the rule with me about telling her everything.  
"I know. But it hurts Artemis." I tell her.  
"I know, Percy, I know." Artemis chokes out. "Tell me." Artemis grabs my shoulder and I feel the rush of us teleporting. "Tell me here. Tell me in the place you first started traveling with me and your sisters."  
I open my eyes and look around us. I'm laying in the exact same spot I was three years ago when my identity was revealed to the Hunt, when they no longer knew me as Moonlace. I stare up into Artemis's eyes.  
Tears start flowing from mine and I choke out, "The guilt. It's crushing me Artemis." I say and the dam breaks apart again, but worse than before when we were were in the cabin. "I can't breathe...with the weight of all the guilt." I tell her and she pulls me into her strong embrace. I hug her back full force and she doesn't complain.  
"You have to let it all out, my Moon." Artemis whispers softly into my ear. "Don't hold back. Let me save you from your guilt. Let the light of the moon help heal and cleanse you."  
I'm on my knees hugging her tightly and she is in the same position. "It's all my fault." I cry. "I got them all killed, Artemis. I shouldn't be alive. I don't deserve to live when so many good people died instead of me. I killed them. I lead them into battleand joined them on quests." I gulp in air. "I can't tell them how sorry I am or how awful I feel about them dying instead of me. I would give anything to tell them I'm sorry, that I should be in their place, that I should've done something more to save them, and that if I was never conceived, then they would still be here." I sob into her chest. "I can't take it, my Moon. I can't take it." I whisper brokenly and all you can hear in the forest are my heart-wrenching sobs and cries of deep scarring pain.  
The light of the moon shines brighter down on us and I feel warmth as several things brush up against me. I can feel all the wolves in the forest coming to their patron's side to see what is wrong. I can feel their desperation of wanting to do something for me and they are trying to comfort me. Their presences are relaxing and the light of the moon helps me forgive myself and fades away the guilt slowly. Artemis sings to me in Ancient Greek, not a lullaby, but a song of hope and love and that brings peace to the roiling aura that surrounds me, settles my emotions, and ebbs my pain.  
Point of view: Artemis I can feel him calm down little by little, but his weeping only deepens as the last of the guilt and pain leave him. The wolves all look at him in worry. They do not see it as weakness because they hear the pain in his voice, see it in his posture, and feel it radiating off of him. They do not understand, but they know not to ask him. They take turns brushing against him inaffectionate ways.  
I don't think Percy realizes when I lay him down and lay with him. After a long while, he falls asleep and the wolves all lay down next to us. The little ones next to him and the female wolves next to me while the males surround the entire group. Some stay up and watch over the group and continuously glance at Percy's now peaceful expression. The wolves keep us warm and soon I drift off in Percy's arms and him in mine.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I wake up with Artemis entrapped in my hold and she stares up at me expectantly. "I'm sorry I couldn't pull it together myMoon." I whisper to her and she shakes her head.  
"You needed to heal and that was what it took for you to start. How do you feel?" Artemis asks and kisses my forehead.  
"I feel...less tense and more carefree. Like the weight of the sky was removed from my shoulders again. Less pent up and more...caring. A burden I have been carrying for a long time now is finally gone, it is lifted. It feels...nice. I am sorry if I scared you with my outburst." I reply.  
"Don't be sorry. All is well. What weight?" She asks.  
"The weight I have been carrying since I was twelve, when I was dragged into this life. The weight that grew until it was too much." I answer her.  
"You mean the mythological world?" She inquires.  
"Yes." I answer quietly.  
"That is enough Perseus Jackson. You can't blame yourself for being born or for causing the deaths of those around you. Whether it was you or Thalia or that Nico boy, the Great Prophecies would have been completed. Annabeth is twisted and people make their own choices. Maybe they would've taken Thalia or Nico instead of you if they were the ones to complete the prophecies, but it was you. It was you because of your gentle, caring, loyal nature and the Fates chose you for the role. Because you were the only one pure enough to handle it!" Artemis screams at me and scolds me. She waits for a few seconds, "Look at me..." She says in a soft voice.  
I turn my head back, I am afraid and my eyes are brimming with tears again.I am trying not to cry again.  
"Now, do you truly believe it is your fault?" She asks kindly. Tears start spilling over and I shake my head. "Do you?" She asks again.  
"No." I whisper, my voice faint.  
"Then what's really bothering you?" She asks and her arms tighten around me.  
"It's...hard to know I'll never see them again and I get to live forever. It isn't fair to them. I feel better, but I'm still lost in my emotions." I say and hide my face in her hair. She rubs soothing circles in my back and we both sit up.  
Thalia and Phoebe flash in laughing and sit next to us. Thalia next to me and Phoebe next to Artemis.  
I look at Thalia and worry settles in the pit of my stomach. Artemis watches me and the two hunters stop laughing and watch me. "Thals?" I ask.  
"Yeah Perce?" Thalia looks at me worried now.  
"Please don't die on me. I couldn't live with any more deaths because of her." I whisper.  
Her eyes widen and then she crushes me in a hug. "I won't die just yet. Not for a long time. She'll get what she deserves. Just you wait, Kelp Head."  
I nod off because I'm really tired with all this cleansing the moon did to get rid of the darkness again because an old part of my soul joined me. 


	27. Chapter 27

Point of view: Artemis I hear soft snoring and realize it's Percy. He has fallen alseep, right on Thalia's shoulder. She lays him down gently, kisses his forehead, and the wolves inch closer to him until they surround him. I move so they can lay around him easier.  
"I'll be here when you wake up Kelpfor brains. Don't you worry. I ain't dying until Annie gets what's comin' to her." Thalia says to Percy's sleeping form. His chest rises and falls slowly, he is breathing deeply.  
"Just deserts." Phoebe smacks her fist into her palm.  
Nico flashes in. He nods at me and sits down next to Thalia. "I knew he was hurting, but I knew Lady Artemis needed to be the one there for him. He is...unraveling the mix and blend of all his feelings. They are reattaching themselves to his self and it will be done when he wakes up. He might see everything in a different light, similar to the one he used to see it as, but more serious and cruel. That's the light the world will most likely take on in his eyes." Nico tells us.  
"I don't know. I think he will just be more caring like he used to be. You've got to remember, he lost himself down there. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some minor god and goddess skulls to crack." I growl and Nico holds up his hand and shakes his head.  
He stands up. "Allow me." He says politely and flashes away.  
~Three Hours Later~ Nico pops back in with a bruised Morpheus and battered Hypnos. Thanatos has a huge black bruise on the underside of his jaw, the whole entire jawline is bruised badly. A sheepish looking Iris stands behind him with a nervous Nemesis and a crying Ariana. Nico drops Morpheus and Hypnos on the ground in front of me, Phoebe, and Thalia. We were talking about the different pairings of late.  
"Is he okay?" Ariana sniffles, looking at Percy and taking him in.  
"He looks like he's dead if it wasn't for the tan color of his skin and the breathing movements of his chest." Nemesis comments.  
"He should be fully restored now." Iris points out.  
"He should be fine. It took me forever to help him." I inform them angrily.  
They look at me fearfully. "What did he do?" Nemesis asks and Ariana starts crying.  
"He vented. You are dismissed. Try to refrain from hurting Perseus." I tell them and Thalia and Nico glare at them all murderously while Phoebe cracks her knuckles to get her point across. They all gulp and go away by flashing.  
"I hope he is going to be okay when he wakes." Phoebe whispers.  
"Our brother is strong. He will absolutely fine." Thalia reassures her.  
"He just had all that shoved back into him and it was unable to be stopped. Years of self-loathing and guilt rushing into his system and always thinking it was his fault, he wasn't able to keep it from breaking his self control over his emotions. The shock of Thanatos making him whole again didn't help one bit." I tell them.  
"You mean he has everything back?" Phoebe asks shocked.  
"According to Thanatos, yes. And he died down there in that place 23 times. I'm worried about what he'll be like when he awakens." I reply.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I open my eyes to the night sky and I gasp as my power in the night rushes into me. The wolves shuffle closer to my body that lies on the ground. I look around to see Artemis, Thalia, and Phoebe asleep with a bunch of wolves.  
Tears leak from my eyes as the relief of the moon brings forth my emotions and a wolf next to me licks them away and nuzzles my head with her snout. I turn my face into her fur. Her name is Niela. She's warm and her presence is like that of my mother, my late mother, and just being near her helps me grieve over my life. She doesn't protest when her fur becomes wet, just licks away the tears that she can reach and acting in a motherly wolf way towards me.  
I know Niela senses what I'm truly feeling and she just does her best to make me feel better. A male, Zeri, weaves his way over and curls up next to me, laying his head on my midsection and I entwine the fingers of hand into his fur gently, my other hand lying slack against the ground.  
'Perseus, what ails you? We cannot fathom the answer. We know you would never act this way unless something is truly bothering you.' Niela speaks in my head.  
'Yes lord, what is wrong. We wish to help.' Zeri chimes in.  
"I am hurting on the inside and I'm trying to mend. I don't know why I'm still acting this way. I'm sorry." I tell them in a hoarse voice.  
'It is fine. It is obvious you are deeply pained.' Niela nuzzles me again.  
'Let everything go and then reclaim what you should hold on to.' Zeri encourages me.  
"Okay." I whisper and do what they tell me.  
I calm down again after Niela hums a wolf song and Zeri keeps me warm. It has been a long time since I woke up. The night sky is completely gone and the sun is almost right over top of us. My head rests against Niela's side and I stare up at the sky. I'llbreak down in tears every so often and Niela and Zeri talk to me until I calm down. A wolf pup called Asale is sleeping on my chest and she checks on me every time she wakes up, then stares at me until she naps again.  
Artemis and the hunters stretch as they wake up. They look around frantically for me and then relax when they see in right where I was before.  
Looking at them makes tears run down my cheeks again as the memories from the first war flash in my mind and they look at me in panic. Niela and Asale lick away the tears and Zeri whines softly to show that he is is still there. It feels funny on my stomach and I laugh, but it sounds like I'm choking.  
"Percy?" Thalia asks nervously.  
"I'm okay...I just can't stop crying." I answer her.  
"Why?" Phoebe asks.  
"I don't know. Something...inside me is just deciding that it's not...done yet and I can't stop it." I tell her.  
"Are you sure you're fine?" Artemis asks in a 'don't lie to me' tone.  
"No. I'm not. I'm losing my grasp on my sanity and reality my Moon." I whisper sadly and Zeri whines again.  
"No you aren't." Artemis says stubbornly. "You need closure an that's what's going to happen." She flashes out.  
Thalia and Phoebe sit down and watch me. They talk to me for awhile.  
I look up at the sky and it becomes misty. Asale paws at my face and I look at her. She brushes up against me. She whines and barks at me. Then she licks the tears away and bats my head with her tail before laying back down, head in between paws and watching me intently. She looks at me expectantly.  
I stare back at her and then smile warmly at her as darkness surrounds me and I drift into a serene sleep.  
I wake and look at the morning sky with a new clarity. Asale barks and licks my face mercilessly.  
"Hey." I chuckle and try to hold her back. Then I'm being attacked by another wolf in the same manner, Niela. Zeri headbutts my side and I laugh as the love I feel exuding off of the three wolves envelopes me like a cocoon.  
I laugh like a little kid and it makes the wolves renew their efforts. I giggle and realize I'm in a smaller eight year old form. I play with the three and roll around wrestling Zeri. Asale tackles me from behind. I scream in delight. "No fair Asale!" I giggle at her and jump up as Niela bounds for me and pins me to the ground. She nuzzles her face into my stomach and I start laughing uncontrollably. She's tickling me! I shriek with laughter. Asale tackles Niela and we both take on her motherly strength and playfulness.  
"Oh my gods! Where is Percy?!" I hear Artemis yell in worry. Phoebe and Thalia point at me with disbelief clear on their features, but I'm having too much fun.  
Zeri wrestles with me again and the other wolf pups join in and soon we are running around the clearing chasing each other. Niela will catch me and tickle me again every once in a while until Asale comes to my rescue. I just enjoy my time with my wolf family. The adult wolves except Niela and Zeri just spectate and sometimes snap playfully at us as we pass.  
We play almost all day and I sit down, yawning tiredly. Asale presses against me. Niela sits on her haunches next to me. Niela and Zeri lay down on either side of me. I yawn again and Asale does a wolf version of a yawn. We lay down and cuddle into the adult wolves. I hug Asale to me and she snuggles with me. My worries forgotten.  
And I fall asleep like I did when my mother sang to me as a child.  
~Two Hours Later~ I wake up with Asale still in my arms, but I'm being held by Artemis.  
"What about the pup?" Artemis asks someone.  
'She is his. She was born to be his. She is a part of him. She must go with him now in his time of need and stay with him. Once she bonds with him, she will become immortal.' I hear Zeri respond proudly.  
'Our pup is special and we love her. She knows deep down and will care for him.' Niela says.  
"Why did he turn into a younger form?" Artemis asks them.  
'He hasn't had a childhood and his old emotions require outlets. His subconscious must have thought this was the best way to regulate his inner turmoil.' Niela answers.  
'He is a source of joy and pride to our species. We can feel his unsettlingly high and unbalanced emotions. If being a child again is what he needs, then let him be one.' Zeri says, I can tell he would be smiling if he were human.  
I yawn and get comfy in Artemis's arms with Asale. I start snoozing as Artemis looks down in surprise, thinking about having a new friend for the rest of my life and it makes me feel warm inside. 


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Little?!  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I wake up to a rocking, swaying motion. But it's a nice movement, soothing. I still clutch Asale to my chest and I open my eyes. I look around and yawn. I hear a soft giggle and look up to find Artemis is holding me, but she is in an older form. Around thirty and is looking at me with adoration. I lift my head from her chest and look around sleepily. She sits in a rocking chair.  
"We are in my palace Percy." Artemis tells me.  
"Why?" I ask in a little voice. I look at myself to see I'm around the age of four now.  
"I thought if you wanted to play, we could do it in my yard out back. It's really big and Asale can play with us too." She tells me sweetly.  
"She can?" I ask bubbly.  
"Mhmm." Artemis smiles at me warmly.  
"Okay!" I exclaim and giggle.  
Artemis sets me down and I let Asale stretch her legs as I put her on the floor. I look up at a towering Artemis. She shrinks before my eyes and becomes a four year old like me. I hug her and pull her to the back door. Asale trots along happily besideus.  
"What so you want to do first?" Artemis asks curiously.  
"What can we do?" I wonder.  
"Just about anything." She answers.  
I open the door with my powers since I am too short to reach and hold it open for Artemis. She smiles and darts out the door. Asale and I sprint after her.  
Artemis grins evilly and taps me on the shoulder. "Tag! You. Are. It!" Artemis squeals and runs off.  
"Hey! You didn't say we were playing that game!" I call after her and start chasing her.  
"All of Olympus is the playing field!" She giggles.  
"Okay!" I agree and change into a wolf. I tackle Asale. "Asale is it!" I scream happily and bound after Artemis. I catch up with her and shift back to my four year old form. Asale is practically on our heels.  
"Jump over the hedge." Artemis points at a small row of bushes that Asale can get over with ease.  
We jump first just before Asale bumps into Artemis. We giggle as we run and Asale barks at us. Artemis and I end up escapinginto the throne room with Asale wolf laughing at the game.  
We squeal as she almost gets both of us and crash through the throne room doors. We shriek with laughter and run aroundthe thrones. Asale chases after Artemis while I hide behind my throne.  
Suddenly, I'm lifted high into the air. "Artemis!" I yell and see that Hera is the one holding me.  
"What is going on?!" Zeus booms.  
Artemis and I giggle and Asale sits at Hera's feet and looks up at her. I start reaching for her and Hera scoops her up, handing her to me. Asale licks my face energetically.  
"Asale!" I whine in a kid voice.  
"You are it again Percy!" Artemis calls and I stick my tongue out at her, she sticks hers out right back.  
Hera sits down in her throne and Artemis looks at Zeus smiling. Zeus looks surprised at our ages, but smiles a huge, warm smile at us.  
"My little boy. So precious." Hera rubs her nose against mine.  
"Mommy." I groan and Asale licks Hera's face, making me laugh at her shocked expression. Then it turns into a smile.  
"Who is your little friend?" Hera asks sweetly.  
"Asale." I answer happily and pet my wolf friend.  
"Artemis. Why is my son on this form?" Hera turns to Artemis.  
"The minor gods." Artemis squeaks out and looks at Hera questioningly. Hera sets Artemis on her lap and sets me down next to her. Asale lays across our laps.  
Asale licks both of our faces. "Percy! Tell Asale to stop licking me." Artemis whines and giggles as she pets Asale and tries to keep her at bay.  
"That's impossible. You stop her." I tell her.  
"I can't. She is your wolf." Artemis shoots at me.  
"Wolves are in your domain too." I fire right back.  
"But you're god over them. I'm just a patron." Artemis argues.  
"But it's rude to order them around. And besides," I cross my arms. "Asale isn't causing any harm." I stick my tongue out at heragain.  
"But it tickles when she does it." Artemis complains.  
"I should ask Niela if she would play with you. That tickles." I say.  
"Children. What is going on?" Zeus asks.  
"Hey!" Artemis and I whine together.  
I start playing with Asale while we sit on Hera.  
"The minor gods did something to Percy and to heal he turned into a little kid without thinking about it. He won't turn back untilhe is okay. You should have seen him. He was going out of his mind and couldn't stop crying unless he was asleep." Artemis explains and joins in with Asale and I.  
"What?!" Hera shrieks.  
"What's wrong mommy?" I ask and look up at Hera.  
She smiles at me. "How long ago did they do something to him?" Zeus inquires.  
"A few days ago." I answer without thinking and comb through Asale's fur with my fingers. Artemis helps me detangle her soft and silky fur easily.  
Asale is a midnight black wolf with rich golden eyes and she has this white patch of fur on her left shoulder.  
A silver and gray wolf bounds in and turns human. "Delilah!" I exclaim excitedly.  
Delilah looks for me and when she finds me, she looks taken aback. "Percy? I couldn't find you. Where have you been?" Sheasks worriedly.  
"The minor gods are meanies." I answer.  
Delilah walks up to Hera and holds her arms out. Hera puts me in them and Delilah nods at my mom, thanking her. "What happened?" She asks seriously.  
"They put it back Delilah." I whimper.  
"So you subconsciously reverted to this form? That's okay." Delilah says.  
Asale whines until Hera puts her down. She comes over and looks up at Delilah and I.  
"Is this a sister Companion?" Delilah asks me.  
"Yes! Asale is one of my Companions!" I laugh and Asale barks happily.  
"Can she turn into a human yet?" Delilah crouches down and looks Asale over.  
Asale sits down and closes her eyes. After a few minutes, a four year old girl sits in the wolf's place. I shriek with joy and Delilah laughs.  
"Oh! I finally did it!" Asale exclaims. Artemis comes down and sits next to Asale. Delilah sets me down beside them. We sit in a triangle and Delilah sits beside Asale and I to make a square.  
"Hermes." Hera turns to the messenger god.  
"Yes? Do you want me to go get the minor gods?" Hermes replies after tearing his eyes away from the four of us on the floor. We all look at him.  
"Yes please." Hera says.  
Hermes nods and flashes out of his throne.  
"Come over here you four." Hestia says.  
"Hearth mother!" I say excitedly and run over to Hestia who smiles warmly at me. She holds out her arms and I jump into them. I hug her and kiss her cheek on a totally childish way. She smiles and starts messing with me using her fire.  
Crena talks to Artemis and Delilah while Asale sits next to Hestia. When Hermes flashes in, I go to sit next to Artemis and hold her hand. Asale turns back into a wolf and lays in front of me protectively. Delilah shifts too and growls, her fur sticking up on end on her shoulders. She sits down on my other side and watches the gods closely.  
"What did you so to my son?" Poseidon asks.  
"What does he mean by 'They put it back'?" Hera asks right after Poseidon.  
"Where is he?" Iris asks.  
Zeus looks over at the hearth. The minor gods all turn to see and their eyes widen. Ariana rushes over and my grip on Artemis's hand tightens. Artemis grips back just as tightly.  
"Are you okay?" Ariana asks me concernedly.  
"I don't know. Arty, Asale, and Delly are helping me. My moms are happy with my form and it's really fun chasing Artemis." I answer shyly.  
"In the name of my father's robes, why is my best friend a three year old?!" Nico screams from the doors. He runs over and looks at Hestia for an explanation.  
"I'm four Neeky!" I yell at him.  
Nico's face turns red and then he raises an eyebrow. "Why?"  
"Because Thanatos shoved old parts of my soul back in me." My voice changes on every other word from my normal voice to my kid voice. My form flickers to my seventeen year old age to my four year old one. Anger as my older self and uncertain in my younger self. I flinch and revert to my four year old self.  
"What's wrong?" Artemis asks me and takes my other hand.  
"Artemis." I grimace from the burning in my chest. "My soul is corrupted from being in Tartarus again." I wince and I age to ten. "The moon has not ridden these parts if of my soul of the shadows." Then I grow younger to a six year old as I flinch at the searing pain. I start coughing and Nico looks at Artemis desperately.  
"The well. Get him to the well. I cannot enter it." Artemis tells Nico as she ages to a twenty year old woman.  
Nico nods and picks me up. I shrink into a two year old then back to a four year old. "Hold on Perce." Nico says in panic and flashes into the Realm of the Moon.  
We appear next to the well and it is radiating black energy. It's reacting to my soul. Nico delves into it without question and runs down the steps. We reach the bottom.  
"What do I do? You have to know." Nico looks down at me.  
I gaze at the darkening moonlight. "Put me in it." I tell him weakly.  
"Are you sure?" Nico asks as he crouches down in front of the water.  
"They put in parts of my soul that have yet to be saved. I have to save the moonlight again." I reach for the water and my fingertips touch it. I feel my roiling emotions in it. "The moonlight is dying." I whisper and hold my other hand up to his moonlight in my hand flickers weakly.  
Nico wades into the moonlight unaffected. He sets me in the am water and let's me sink.  
Much like before, I see everything pass in front of my eyes. But this time it's harder for me. I fight against the guilt and fear. I overcome both of those emotions. I finally face my depression, the monster inside that I'm so afraid of becoming. I age to my seventeen year old self and the monster turns to face me.  
I stare back at myself. Its eyes changing from gold to ivy green to stormy gray to black pits and keeps repeating in that cycle. It snarls at me and speaks in a grating voice, "Come home so soon?"  
"Tartarus is not my home. And it isn't yours either." I reply. I realize this is part of my soul that is twisted into thinking that I deserve what they do to me.  
It regards me fearfully and hopefully, but still hunches in on itself. "What do you know? You escaped with Athena. I was drifting in Tartarus when I was ripped from you because you died."  
"Because I tortured myself everyday thinking about it. Every dream so vivid it felt like I was still down there. I was a soulless monster for the past three years." I try to reason with it.  
"I don't see how I can be fixed now anyways. What's the point?" It sulks, but stops holding a fearful posture, just a defeated one.  
"I can fix you." I hold out my hand.  
It eyes my hand with a hopeful and suspicious expression. It tentatively reaches out and grabs my hand. His hand turns white, but the dark of him pushes against my light. My whole arm becomes pitch black with the taint. I force it away and pure white overtakes his arms and legs. 


	29. Chapter 29

Point of view: Perseus Jackson I am fighting to overpower the corruption of Tartarus. My Point of view: Perseus Jackson I am fighting to overpower the corruption of Tartarus. My soul is purity itself and Tartarus the dark to my light. My purity, my innocence, my compassion is in this part of my soul, the part that was cast out of me during my many deaths. If I am to be whole and strong, I need this part to be saved.  
"I am your salvation." I tell him and he closes his eyes to help me.  
Though I do not want it inside me, I need it back so I can protect Artemis. Even though I hate to admit it, I might actually need this part of me to be alive again. I always feel empty and maybe...maybe this is why. Maybe I do need this. I hate it when gods are right.  
I jerk him forwards and catch him as he falls. As he falls, my power cleanses him completely and he rejoins with me. I gasp at the sudden power rush. I fall to the ground as the moonlight beams up into the moon again. A hand is placed on my back and I look up at my Guardian.  
"You alright Perce?" Nico asks.  
"Yes Nico, I am whole again. I will be just fine. My strength has returned. I am finally at peace. No more turmoil is inside, my former life has officially come to an end." I answer in a deep, velvety, musical voice.  
"You had me worried. You were taking forever." Nico grins and helps me stand.  
"Gods, was I really a little kid for awhile?" I ask him and he starts laughing.  
"Yeah, do you remember?" Nico asks after he can breathe.  
"A little bit. My mind can see why it happened and I agree with its decision, but I do not like it. But I prefer the younger part." I answer and turn into a fourteen year old.  
Nico just looks at me. "What are you doing?" Nico asks with a raised eyebrow.  
"Like Artemis normally stays in her eight year old form, I will most likely be in a similar age for the same duration. Most of theGuardians are this age or a year or two older. You still look fourteen. The hotel has had an effect on your growth rate Nico. You should be sixteen, but you still look fourteen. You can choose to stay in that form or let the immortality age you to an age you want. It can always be changed, but if you choose to age you cannot return to this look. Do you understand?" I reply.  
Nico nods. "I'll stay this way for the time being Percy. Jason is twenty, Piper is twenty. Thalia is fifteen. Frank is eighteen or nineteen along with Hazel. Raphael is twenty. I may be the youngest looking, but I'm older than some."  
"I understand. As you can see, I will around yours and Thali's age. This makes me very happy." I smile and clap his back.  
"Do you have a fourteen year old mindset?" Nico asks hopefully.  
I raise an eyebrow and roll my eyes. "I can let it influence me, but not now. I don't really feel the need to act like a fourteen year old. I stay in this form for my younger Guardians. You have the choice to run around with me like Artemis and her Hunters. You are my lieutenant of the Guardians. You are also my Guardian. You will always be around me. The others may join us at any time they wish. But their duties are given to them by those they protect. If they have time and their respective god or goddess lets them, they may travel with us."  
Nico nods and grins. "I get to be with my best friends forever! Awesome. WHat am I supposed to be doing?"  
"Right now, we need to get back to the throne room. I would guess they are waiting and I am tired. I need to sleep. It is for the best." I tell him.  
"I still can't believe you and I are the same height." He whines. "I want to be taller for once."  
I chuckle. "In time. I might be shorter than you if I take a younger form. We have a few ten year old Guardians or younger. This is the median age to make thewm all comfortable. I can be younger for them every once in a while if they wish it to be so. I wouldn't mind."  
"I've lost my older than you privilege." Nico grumbles.  
I laugh. "I know."  
"But you seem so wise." Nico complains.  
"Yes, I've had time to become even wiser from my experiences. Athena's blessing helps with the process. Nowadays, I would expect to see her more often. She normally looks for people of her mindset to converse with. She will seek me out at one point. She has visited the Hunt's camp a few times over the last few years to speak with me and spar with Artemis." I inform him.  
"Cool. Did she help you any?" Nico asks as we ascend out of the well.  
"She did. Not as much as she would think she did, but I let her know that she was helping. Just not to the full extent." I tell him.  
"So are you ready to face your mother and soon-to-be wife?" Nico asks.  
I chuckle. "It's an odd concept of being married at the age of fourteen, of course, I will be in my older form when the ceremonytakes place. Yes, I am ready. I still do not fear anything. It is going to be awkward however. And I do not like awkward situations. My memory returns. I have no idea how I am to explain this."  
Nico laughs as we enter Artemis's shrine. "Do you think I could help?"  
"Perhaps." I nod.  
"Okay, how do I help you?" Nico asks.  
"Hmm...help me explain my antics for my mind and soul were overwhelmed along with my concept and receptor to feeling emotions I have not felt in years, nor did I want them. Now I see how foolish that was, I am at my most powerful now." I answer.  
Nico nods slowly. "Got it. I understand. So, you never told me."  
"About what Nico?" I prompt.  
"What all am I supposed to do as your Guardian?" He finishes.  
"You will learn as you go. I assume you already know at least one or two of your duties." I reply.  
"Yeah. I'm lieutenant of Lord Perseus's Guardians, just like Thalia is lieutenant of Lady Artemis's Hunters. I have to look out for all the Guardians, keep you safe, things like that. Your domains require my attention." Nico tells me.  
"Yes. I have a lot of domains to cover. I am not worried though. Those who are under my protection are perfectly well." I smile at him. We walk through the doors of the throne room. "Though, I fear for what the enemy has done. If the information I got from m corrupted part was correct, Tartarus has been very busy since my rescue and I do not like our odds. We have too few to combat the hordes that gather beneath the surface world. The outcome of such a catastrophe will be horrid. I do not think the demigods are ready for yet another war. Especially with their experienced warriors being assigned to be Guardians. My Guardians will have to take to the front lines. We will have to minimize the casualties. We cannot die in battle, nor can we fade to reform in Tartarus. We can only truly die if those we are sworn to protect fade. If thewy die and must reform our duty is to save them and speed up their process. I am the only god among us who cannot die to reform or fade. I will lead the charge if it comes to it."  
Nico looks at me grimly. "That is not good. A council meeting should be called."  
"Yes, it should." Artemis says from her throne.  
"Hello Artemis. I'm glad to see you are well. I am sorry for my actions as of late. I was not myself." I smile at her a little.  
She grins. "I know. Do you remember?"  
"You seem to have enjoyed our game of deadly tag along with my new companion." I smile warmly. "I too enjoyed that. It's nice to be free for once. Though, we cannot afford it now. This is worse than I could have imagined in such a short time. I should have known better. I knew something was wrong, I was just too preoccupied to see through the haze. I'm such a fool for giving up after so long." I curse myself.  
"How long did you believe you would get out?" Zeus asks curiously.  
A grim expression crosses my face and then turns sullen. "I didn't give up for two centuries. That's when I stopped believing. When I broke. When I became inhuman. It won't happen again, I won't allow it. The last century is when I let my mind stop hoping, and I forced down my soul to survive."  
"Admirable." Ares speaks as he walks in. "Why the hell are you a 14 year old again?"  
"I have taken the form that is the median for my Guardians. It is also the age my own Guardian appears to be. Though he is much older. Would you prefer I be older when I encounter you?" I ask.  
He thinks over it. "Come to think of it, I always view you as just young. It does not matter to me. I guess you won't appear too much older than 25 for the most part because of my sister. But when we duel, I'd like to duel you in many different ages. If you don't mind."  
I nod. "I will keep that in mind. For now, I need to ask you something."  
"What is it?" He replies curiously.  
"How fast can you whip the demigods into shape?" I inquire.  
He raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that your job at the moment?"  
"Yes, it is. but I may be needed elsewhere at this point in time. I don't like the idea, rather it needs to be done. I know...I know what must be done to require the proper information of the enemy." I sigh.  
By now, all the gods are upon their thrones, including me. "What do you mean?" Hera asks suspiciously.  
"The information we need can be obtained in all of two ways. The man I was pointed to during my third quest to save Artemis, or someone needs to be given the task of traveling down to Tartarus to retrieve the necessary information of giving us an advantage. I do not like the idea of anyone having to go down there at all. It is no place for the faint of heart. It is certainly no place any of you want to venture. Your powers are weak there. It is a miracle you long ago went there to save the cyclops, but you were young, you were always training, preparing to bring down your father, you haven't been up to date. The only ones who even train or do anything to improve on their skills, are Artemis and Ares. I will not have Artemis down there. It's too much and they might capture her, Ares may be capable enough, but he won't be able to get out on the strength he would have left over for the return trip. There is only one person who cannot be effected so much, even not at all." I lean forward so they can see how serious I am about this.  
"No!" Hera and Artemis scream together. "What?!" Poseidon screeches.  
"Enough!" They quiet down reluctantly. "I will depart for Tartarus myself. I will find this source of evil. I will not be stopped bythose pathetic fools. I do not speak out of revenge, but out of concern for everyone's wellbeing. Do not spite me Lord Ares. There is more than just Tartarus's evil corrupting them all so much further, more brains in the plans I happen to know of other than Annabeth's ideas, this taint must be found." I sigh. "This means too many things will be found out that might frighten the heroes. I cannot bring myself to tell them what I may learn. Something is very wrong with the shifts of the world below. The Underworld is no longer a safe place to be, especially for any of you. Hades, I request that you stay in the world your palace needs to be protected and Annabeth Chase needs to be kept out of the Underworld and in Tartarus, it is not worth your life. Please stay up here and out of the way of the enemy. Your talents can help those up here."  
Hades just stares at me and then sighs. "I'd prefer a 14 year old would not scold me."  
I chuckle. "I am not scolding you and I am not 14. I do enjoy this form however."  
Hades smiles a little. "Then how will my palace be protected?"  
I put my hand to my head. "There might be something I can do with magic. That or nothing at all and it be left defenseless. But..." I shudder. "My magic is destructive. I do not use it frequently. Only if someone is in grave danger and it takes aphenomenal amount of concentration. I once used a protection spell on one of the hunters to save her from a poison arrow. Protection is one of my specialties. Other than that, my magic is chaotic. It is the shield or the sword in their major aspects. Destruction and defense, the balance. It is hard to keep them from intertwining, together they are very deadly."  
"Magic? Since when are you good at magic?" Dionysus asks.  
"Since I practiced the magic given to me as Guardian of the Moon and Hunt. It is an interesting combination of the two categories my magic lie in. Ezekeiel has Warding and tracking magic. I do not need magic to track in any of my forms, he needed it in human form and it strengthened his wolf form's tracking abilities. Mine lie purely in the sole purpose of my soul, fatal flaw, and my will, all aimed at protecting those I truly care about. It is rarely ever conceivable that all Guardians have magic. I sense that my Guardian, Apollo's Guardian, Aphrodite's Guardian, and Hephaestus's Guardian have magic at this point in time. I feel that the younger ones will develop in their own time once they settle into their positions, but not all of them will be able to wield magic. Some might be late bloomers, I am unsure. Once I feel it, I will tell them and show them how to control it. I know exactly what fields they possess and I am sure that Hecate would know. It is her domain. I believe she will visit me in some point in time over the matter." I inform him.  
Dionysus nods. "How come you never told us?"  
"I've told a number of people. The Hunters, Artemis already knew she explained it to me, my two mothers, Zeus knew, Apollo knew, Ares almost got fried dueling me because of it and found out the hard way, Hecate obviously didn't need to be told, Selene and Ezekeiel talked know, and I'm sure any older deity who can sense my power correctly know. I was just never outright with my power, I don't exactly have to have it. I am not adamant in letting them all know. And it has kept monsters away from camp. My aura is normally suppressed just like Artemis keeps hers pushed down. The hunters have the ability , a number of my followers will know how to conceal their presence, but no matter how much you hide it, I can pinpoint it. The only other able to do this is my fellow Moon Guardian. His magic is great. I am most happy that his symbol has been replanted." I laugh at Dionysus's face.  
Hera smiles warmly at my reaction to Dionysus. "You seem more fun loving my child." Hestia comments.  
"I suppose that would have to do from rejoining with the parts of my soul that separated from me at my number of deaths down in the Pit. I have cleansed it and reconnected with it. Though I am not used to feeling...not empty, it is a familiar notion in some way. Something that I once had. It has been a long time since I remember being truly whole. The evil that corrupted my dead soul, that was awful, through his memories of the Pit in the last three years of drifting through it aimlessly, he has given me those facts. It is why I am determined to go to Tartarus. What I have seen is not good one single bit." I shake my head. "The demigods alone cannot stand against them. It would be mass genocide."  
"Wait, so you've been both up here and down there these past three years?" Apollo asks concerned.  
"Stop your doting on my state of mind, I get enough of the motherly affection from Hera and Hestia. I am perfectly sane thank you very much. If I wasn't I'd be in the damned infirmary. To answer your question though, yes that is the perfect way to see it. I am lucky Tartarus and the rest did not capture the parts of my soul that left me down there. Thanatos was right, I died man a time in that place. I am the only living soul on our side that knows the layout of the Pit like the back of my hand." I tell Apollo and the rest of my family.  
"What?" Hera asks. "But weren't you just in that cave and somewhere outside of it where they made you train?"  
I shake my head and look at the floor and then into her eyes. "No, I was dragged all over. I have seen everything that place has to offer. Each time I was out, it may look the same to your eyes, but to mine, I knew that I was always in a different place. Athena, you should tell them, your sister already knows." I whisper the last sentence.  
"I lied to you all when I told Perseus his age. He prayed to me not to make you worry about him. Kronos, he...slowed down time for Perseus. Perseus was not there for just three centuries. He was there for..." Athena can't bring herself to say it.  
"Tell me." Hestia's lip quivers.  
"I was down there for a millennia and I didn't give up hope for 900 years. But that last century was when Tartarus's air started to cloud my judgement. I let my guard down for just a split second after one of their worst tortures and it cost me my willpower. I couldn't look at anything at all. The already terrible plains around me became worse. I was corrupted and I couldn't fight back. It is my greatest shame, but has given me one of my largest goals. This time, I am prepared for anything. I won't fall again." My eyes flash red.  
"Calm down Percy." Ares says.  
I close my eyes and they return to normal. "Sorry." I tell him.  
Zeus is just looking at me in fright. "What?" Hera chokes out.  
"I am 1,020 years of age. Artemis did not want the hunters to worry constantly about what they think would make me fragile. I am far from fragile. I had to admit it to Apollo, idiot asked me the right question. Stupid god of truth." I mutter the last sentence.  
"Hey!" Apollo yells indignantly.  
I put my hands up. "I didn't want everybody knowing. I'm too old to be treated like I am glass. I have seen worse things than many. I am not a fool, I knew what would happen if I told you. You would have kept me under monitor more so than you have been doing. I am completely fine. Apollo has made sure. I assure you that I am every bit as sane as the next person. Artemis is happy with my state of mind. I too am happy with it. Thememories are sealed in the back of my mind."  
"May I see the new memories?" Apollo asks.  
I look him straight in the eyes and he shudders at the silver glow emitting from them. "As the god of knowledge, Tartarus should not be out of your range of sight, however, something blocks you. It proves that my mission is more necessary than your false beliefs in keeping me away fom that wretched plain. I am needed. I am unbound by Ancient Laws just like my wife-to-be. I may go past those laws, I will aid where many of you can't. The demigods will die out if this threat is not dealt with properly. Yes, we can all have new demigods, but there are no replacing those we will have lost. We might not be here to conceive new ones if we do not tread with caution. Apollo, this is the one time you do not have to see so much horror, do you truly want to know what I have seen?"  
Apollo nods with a grave expression. "I do."  
"Then look." I let him into my mind.  
He searches it for everything and then snaps out of my mind once he has found what he did not know before. I close off my mind again and he looks absolutely apalled. "You are right. It could mean the end. And though I hate to admit it, you need to go down there for all of us to survive."  
I nod in thanks. "Then it is settled. I will leave after this meeting, first to defend the Underworld from being entered by unwelcome entities and then I shall delve into Tartarus with the goal of finding out all I can in mind. But I warn you, it will be much longer for me down there in the Pit than it will be for you. Once I have the Underworld under my protection, you may return uncle. But keep an eye on my magic. It may not be easy to break, but if there is something of great power inside of Tartarus, then I don't know if it will hold."  
"It will hold. Your magic is way more powerful than you think." Artemis smiles weakly.  
I laugh darkly. "Oh, you have no idea Artemis. I will make it so that nothing can break it without killing me. If I find the bastard, I'll attempt to do more than just spy on him. I'll kill him if I can."  
She grins evilly. "I know everything about you dear."  
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, and I know everything about you. So, you know not to worry for my sake down in that place. Keep mymothers company please my lady. It will ease my mind when I am down in that hole."  
"And if you are captured? What then?" Hera whispers.  
I smile kindly at her. "Mother, in the event that that happens, they will not be able to hold me for long. They won't live long enough to see my blood splattered on those walls. You need not worry senselessly for my well being. I know what I am doing."  
"But to go through all of that and willingly go back..." Hestia looks at me sadly.  
"Yes, I am the ultimate loyal soul. My fatal flaw knows no bounds. I would do anything for anyone I hold dear. Really it's tiring, but I do it anyway." I sigh.  
"Weren't you planning on resting after the meeting?" NIco looks at me.  
I smirk. "I can rest when I'm dead di Angelo. Which will never happen. I'll never catch a break."  
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "You are so much older than me it isn't fair."  
"Not like I wanted to be this old so soon there buddy. But it has given me something as a result. I honestly want to kill that witch of a little girl. I'll wring her neck if she comes within my sight. But, I suppose I should thank her too. Styx I hate her. Not Lady Styx anyways." I tell him.  
"You should still slep before you go." Hera scolds.  
"I will be fine. Not the first time I haven't slept in a day or so." I inform her.  
"He's stayed up for a whole entire week when I made him stay with the girls one time. I had to have Thalia and Phoebe hold him down while I drugged him." Artemis sighs.  
"I don't want a repeat of that episode. The nightmare I was locked in was awful. All I did was stay up worrying about your safety and the safety of the girls. Give me credit that I didn't dump them in the nearest lake for arguing about their own needs. I do not appreciate the food thing." I grumble.  
"It's not their fault you're overbearingly protective. Like a mother bear." Artemis mumbles.  
"That's what the hunters told my little sister and I." Nico laughs.  
"Eh. At least I care." I mutter.  
"It's a good thing you do." Artemis grins.  
"Yeah, or half of them wouldn't be here today." I say quietly.  
Artemis just looks at me. "What does that mean?"  
"I'll tell you when I get back. Those girls get themselves in loads of trouble when you aren't looking. It's a miracle I haven't been shot on accident by the young ones. They get overly excited and Phoebe doesn't help with the hyperactiveness being a daughter of Ares. ADHD for her is like sugar for Hephaestus kids. Sometimes I worry when she's left alone with them. Thaliajust encourages the behavior." I say and she nods.  
"You still need to ask me something." Artemis says in a sing song voice with a grin.  
"Do I now?" I smile knowingly.  
Everybody looks between us confused. "Maybe, but I still want to be asked. Just so I know." She sticks her tongue out at me.  
I laugh at her childishness. "If it makes you feel better. May I please go back to the Hell from whence I was rescued my dear Moon?"  
She grins. "I don't see why not. But if you come back with a single scratch I will not forgive you for a millennia."  
I roll my eyes. "I doubt that." I smile and this time she rolls her eyes. "It's one thing I am very confident about."  
"Only one?" She teases.  
"Wouldn't you like to know." I chuckle.  
"I do know." She laughs.  
"I must address a matter beforehand." I look at Zeus.  
"What matter would this be?" Demeter inquires, smiling at my interaction with Artemis.  
"There is one thing that I can do that I will not do without your permission. It may be my domain, but I know their roles in your lives are great, for I hold a role like that myself. I mentioned it when I walked in." I reply.  
"What is it?" Zeus asks befuddled.  
"The Guardians cannot die in battle, nor can they die to reform. If they are gravely injured, they can be healed and be sent back into battle. I want all of your permission to call on my group of Guardians to defend Olympus. We will be on the frontlines. We will be the best defense you have against the enemy. I must ask you all if I may lead them into battle, but I do not want you joining in." I tell him.  
They all start protesting. "Quiet!" I yell and they quiet down indignantly. Hera and Hestia have no problem with this.  
"Now, the reason I have for your abstaining from this battle has two influences. The first being I do not want any of you to decrease in power. You are still recovering from the last two wars. Typhon and the Giants were a serious blow to your power storage. Three years is not enough to recharge, forgive my reference, after using so much power. Artemis is allowed to enter,but I do not want her in harm's way. She and the hunters can use their bows to kll the monsters from a safe distance while the Guardians and I take on the massive army. Wherever the battlefield may take place, we will lead the front. If the demigods are needed, they will be called upon. But I will not risk it if it is unnecessary. There are already enough deaths and they are few in number. Do I have your consent?" I look at all of them.  
"Yes." They all answer one after another.  
"I get the feeling you would have called on them either way." Ares smirks.  
I grin. "Yes, I would have. I know what is best to defend the gods and the campers."  
Athena smiles. "I hope you don't mean you know better than me."  
"Of course not Athena, I merely refer to the experience against the enemy an I know how they tick. You are wise and can adjust my plans. You are obviously my first choice at planning when I get back from the depths. I do not know what all I will find, but I know I will not like it." I sigh again.  
"And what if this foreboding energy you think comes from a being of great power gets their hands on you?" Hephaestus speaks.  
"Then I do not know. I will make it out somehow. It might take a long time, but I will escape its grasp. I have no idea if it is even a person or just a presence of mind without a body. It is old and it means harm. Maybe it is something before remembering or when the primordials were the only all-powerful beings on our world. It sends a malevolent feeling running up and down my spine. I don't think I'll like the way it thinks if I should happen across it face to face." I answer Hephaestus and he nods.  
"If he does manage to capture you, it is practically guaranteed it will be worse than the others." Ares says solemnly.  
"Prisoner of war. Yes, I am well aware. Leverage, someoneto interrogate. I know what will happen to me if I am caught by that force. The others I can handle." I tell him.  
"They will want to use you as a bargaining chip. What do we do then?" Athena looks at me.  
"Forget about me. I can handle myself. This time I won't be held. Especially not as a hostage." I answer.  
"We can't just leave yo-!" Artemis starts to yell.  
"No, Artemis." I raise my voice and look her dead on and she quiets down with tears in her eyes. "If I am taken, you will forget about me. I promise I will return. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to you. You have my word."  
"But..." She starts to argue but trails off with a couple tears running down her face.  
"I have listened to you because I know you are right, but now you are letting your feelings cloud your judgement. Now I am asking you to listen to what I have to say, because I know I am right. You know I am right. You all do. I am not worth what they will do to you and the world. They will not honor any agreement, even if it is on the Styx or Tartarus himself. They will break the promised terms and kill you or take you for themselves. Maybe in your eyes and others I am worth much more in the world, but what use would it be to have me, but be dead and have no world at all. At least this way I can gain more knowledge. I will be a distraction." I say and she nods with tears rolling down her face faster and faster.  
I soften. "There is something else troubling you isn't there?" I smile warmly.  
She nods. "Yes."  
"What is wrong my Moon? You never cry." I ask gently.  
"What will I tell the girls? You're like their father." She says.  
I chuckle. "Before or after they stop Thalia from exploding in a brught burst of electricity from seeing the look on your face when you come in? She knows when you are down. The only thing you have to worry about is Thalia trying to kill me when I get back. it kills me to hurt you in this way, but it is to protect you, and that is my life. There may be a few tears, but mostly anger for my leaving to return to that place. I'm sure Phoebe would want to go with me to give Annabeth a piece of her mind and Thalia would just want to kill them all. The girls will just pester me when I return. Just tel them that I have gone for the sake of...the world I guess. Why do I always have to be involved in saving this planet?"  
Artemis bursts out laughing at my innocent curiosity at my question. I smile at her reaction. "See, nothing to worry about. Just enjoy your time with the girls. Stay in our realm where Nico can better keep watch over all of you."  
"Oh no, I'm going with ya pal." Nico whirls around with his hands on his hips.  
"Absolutely not. I will not have you down there again." I tell him sternly.  
"It is my job to protect you. I am going. No arguments." Nico growls.  
"Don't start with me Nico." I glare down at him. "I need you here to protect the others. It is also one of your duties."  
"But my main duty is to stay at your side and defend you." Nico counters.  
"That place nearly broke you the first time, a second time that is not necessary would ruin you. If we were to be captured, then you won't be able to handle what they can do to you. i would never forgive myself if they got their hands on you." I snap at him.  
He glares up at me. "I. Am. Going. That's final."  
"No, it is not." I rise from my throne and shrink so I can get in his face. "I will not lose one of the only friends I consider very dear to those evil demons. I will not have your blood on my hands and destruction on my conscious. I am going alone."  
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Nico shouts in fury.  
"Nico," My expression ages from too much information and oain and he flinches at my sudden turn in mood. He looks at thefloor. "My old friend, I love the fact that you would go with me and I wish that you would, but I cannot allow you to go. I don't want to lose you. It would hurt me greatly. You are too dear and important to my heart. I couldn't bear the loss I would feel."  
He doesn't look me in the eyes as he answers. "But I can't die until you do and that requires Artemis to fade."  
"There are more ways to die than physically, my friend. None of them are pretty. Do you truly wish to go? Are you realy so determined to come with me into that place? Willing to go back to where it gave you nightmares and memories you just got over? What about Thalia? She loves you, if she saw some change in you, she would never be able to grieve. It would take so much to heal you. Can you realy return?" I ask.  
He looks upwith fire in his eyes. "Yes, I am. Thalia will understand. She would kick my ass if I let you go alone."  
I smile. "Very well. Then you best be ready. I don't want you captured with me."  
"The same can be said from me. If either of us is captured, then we can work on getting the other out." Nico grins mischievously.  
"Just listen to me down there." I sigh exasperatedly.  
"Whatever. I was young when I went down there the first time." He sticks his tongue out at me.  
"Apparently you still are my Guardian." I chuckle at his red face.  
"That's not fair. Look what you did only hours ago." He fires right back at me.  
I raise an eyebrow. "I was not myself at that point in time. I only remembered after I came out of the well. I didn't even know what the Hades was going on. I was trapped inside my own head trying to deal with the overwhelming flow of emotions. You can't use that against me."  
"But you said you liked it." Nico points out.  
"I also told you that I understood why I subconsciously did it." I smile at his defeated look.  
"But you were so cute." Hestia beams at me.  
"I can visit you in that form if you wish mother." She nods at my suggestion.  
"I would adore spending time with you when you are in that form as well." Hera laughs and I grin.  
"What are you guys talking about?" Ares asks intrigued.  
"Hmm, guess you didn't know. I reverted to a younger form due to some problems I had with the minor gods. They gave me parts of my soul back that I did not want. They weren't cleansed like the rest of me and I was slowly deteriorating from the influx. To deal with it, I became younger and innocent while I healed, but seeing them all again made me very sick. I just returned from recleansing myself. I am whole again. I believe I was an eight year old for a while bfore I was about four when I came running in...So was Artemis to keep me occupied." I explain and Aphrodite squeals.  
"What do you look like as a four year old?!" She fires at me.  
I change into my four year old form for her. "Like this most likely."  
She bounds down to me and picks me up. She starts asking me questions nonstop. "Aphrodite. Can you please put me down?" I ask.  
"Oh, sorry." She squeaks and sets me down.  
I return to my fourteen year old form. I dust off my clothes to get rid of the pink glitter. "Thank you. Oh, Asale. Where did she go?"  
"Over here!" I here a tiny voice. She and Delilah run over to me and hug me.  
Delilah just rolls her eyes at me. "We will keep watch over Artemis and the hunters."  
"Even though we want to go with you." Asale whines and crawls up to my shoulders.  
"The horrors of that place are not meant for you little one. It is best you stay here, besides, you are not yet fully grown like Delilah is and she is still settling in with her body and powers. She was only born a few days ago." I tell Asale and she nods.  
"I know. But it stinks that only Nico gets to go with you. You better take care of my master or I'll bite you where you don't want to be bitten mister." Asale threatens Nico.  
Nico stares at her in horror. He puts his hands up in surrender. "Nothing will happen to him. I promise." He gets out quickly. Asale nods accpetingly.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why are you calling me master Asale?" I ask her incredulously.  
"Because you are." She hugs me.  
"You're my Companion and friend. You do not belong to me. I love you as a friend, sister, and daughter. Not as a thing I comand." I argue with her.  
"Technically, we do belong to you, but I know you hate that sort of thing. Not your forte. It is nice we have a good master." Delilah hugs me.  
"Just don't call me that." I say.  
"Okay!" Asale agrees.  
"Very well." Delilah hugs me tighter and I do the same.  
"Who is the tiny one?" Dionysus asks.  
"I am not tiny!" Asale yells at him, shocking Dionysus.  
I laugh as I pull away from Delilah. "She is another one of my Companions."  
"How many do you have?" Athena asks.  
I think about it. "Hmm. Many apparently. I have not met them yet. Delilah and Asale are both wolves. Blackjack and Mrs. O' Leary are my sacred animal representations and close friends. They are not Companions. They are like us Guardians, they cannot die until after the one they are Companion to dies."  
"Does this mean they will all be fighting alongside you in the upcoming battle?" Ares inquires.  
"Oh, I get to knock some monsters around, this is so exciting." Delilah says.  
"I'll rip out their throats." Asale growls.  
"Why is she so bloodthirsty?" Aphrodite asks.  
"More like she's been raised by wolves so far in her life, she's very primal in her actions." I tell her matter of factly.  
"Oh. Okay. That explains it." Aphrodite nods. "Are you going to teach her manners?"  
"Nah. It'll be fine. The influences arounfd her are going to be pretty bloodthirsty, mainly towards males. I'm sure Phoebe will just make it worse, or groom it to a fine point where it's only at monsters and males." I shrug, causing Asale to giggle from the movement.  
"Delilah says she'll protect the nice girls. I want to help, but maybe I can help somewhere else. What can I do?" Asale looks at me expectantly.  
"Why don't you go save girls from bad men or demigods to help them? You could keep an eye on things for Nico while he and I are away." I tell her.  
Her eyes light upand she bursts into happiness. "Woohoo! Love you brother!" Asale kisses my cheek and jumps off of me and onto Delilah. "Let's go sis! C'mon!" Asale howls very wolfishly in her human form.  
Delilah grins devilishly and takes off faster than I can say Olympus. Nico just stares after them. "Can you run that fast?" He looks at me.  
"Yup. Delilah has my characteristics for the most part. Powers included. So does Asale. All my Companions do. Well, the ones I have bonded with at any rate." I shrug and he just punches me on the shoulder playfully, grinning like a madman.  
"Wait, so are you that bloodthirsty?" Poseidon asks uncertainly.  
"Uh..." I chuckle nervously.  
"Percy?" My father starts with that tone.  
I sigh in defeat. "Maybe a little bit. The torture doesn't help. Do you know what I've done to males for the past three years? Not a great sight and it leaves them scarred for life. Probably won't consider having kids until it's way too late. The wolf side isn't to pleasant on the punishment due to justice thing and ultimately makes me hungry for blood to be spilt. I'm just under influences. Delilah holds my memories, but I don't know about Asale. She may get them as she grows, or not at all."  
"Percy!" Hera exclaims.  
"What?" I ask defensively with my hands raised.  
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this either. What have you got to say?" Hera steams.  
"Um...I'm not the best person in the world to answer that question." I say.  
"You're answering it anyway." Hera says.  
"Well," I rub the back of my head and try to come up with something to say. "I didn't really think about it. It might just scare you and I normally don't act like it anyways. I always have this urge to chase after anything that moves though. It's an annoying reflex at times, but it helps."  
Hera huffs angrily and crosses her arms. "Mom, calm down. I just don't think about it all the time. I'm not going to go on a frenzy. Well, maybe on evil men who touch women like that. I caught this one guy recently and-" Artemis clamps her hand over my mouth.  
"Percy! I don't think Hera needs to know what you did to the man who tried to touch Krissa." Artemis hisses.  
I roll my eyes and she takes her hand off of my mouth. "Fine. I thought he deserved it though." I grumble and cross my arms.  
"Yes he did, but it might make her sick." Artemis looks at Hera concernedly.  
"Not my fault the guy pissed me off for trying to touch the maiden." I mutter.  
"Language!" Artemis scolds.  
I sigh. "I can't help it when I think about stuff like that."  
She grins. "I know. It's funny when we let you rant about it."  
"But it's not worth it if the little Hunters don't hear how awful it is." I complain.  
"They don't need to hear all that profanity though." Artemis giggles.  
"But it adds accent to the entire monologue. It makes it more intriguing." I tell her.  
"Maybe, but we don't need them using those words." Artemis says.  
"It's not like they haven't heard it before. There was plenty of it in their stories. I swear way less and far nicer than those men." I say indignantly.  
"Not the one time. Every five words wasn't a bad word. Phoebe couldn't breathe she was laughing so hard that I don't think she slept that night she had a huge case of the giggles, she had trouble covering the ears of a younger hunter. I think it made Thalia pretty happy though. She was smiling for the next week." Artemis says.  
"Well it was necessary. You can't expect me to not be like that over something so horribly twisted to that young of a child." I argue.  
"I know. It's nice to know you feel that way about the matter." Artemis laughs.  
"Wait a minute. What vocabulary have you learned? And where from?" Hera asks astonished.  
"Uh, well, um my childhood and down...there..." I trail off from the look on her face.  
Poseidon eyes me, confusion written clearly on his face. "Sally didn't and would never have used that kind of vocabulary around you. I know Paul didn't."  
I look at the floor. "It wasn't either of them."  
"You mean that cruel man?" Artemis asks furiously.  
"Yes." I admit slowly.  
"Oh, I should have known." Poseidon curses himself.  
"It's quite alright really. He's dead now. I'll deal with him after the war." I tell him in finality and he nods.  
"We should about what happened before you became a god." Apollo says.  
"Oh, right. I had an encounter with my old captors. Joy." I say.  
"Yes, they were quite certain of using you as a bridge." Athena comments seriously.  
"Yes. I have weakened them. But I don't know if Tartarus has healed them or not in his own weakened state. Maybe the older being has healed them." I return to my throne.  
"Not likely. If he doesn't have a body like you think, then he will be saving his strength to form one he has lost or has never had." Apollo joins in.  
"But if he does have a body, then he should be saving his strength for the final battle." Ares adds.  
"He might be arrogant enough to use up the stored energy anyway." Dionysus says.  
"Kronos was arrogant the last time. He didn't waste his energy. The being should know better." I contradict him and he nods after a few seconds of thinking about it.  
"But back to my original point, if they have another way to reach the plains above, where is it? Perseus should try to find out how else they can return. Tartarus nees a lot of power to send so many monsters if I go by what Apollo and Perseus keep referring to. He won't get powerful beings up beforehand, it would weaken him further. There must be some other way to come up other than the Doors of Death." Athena states.  
I nod. "I know what I must gather and look for. I will try to cut off this route and see if they have any other ways to leave. If I can force them to make Tartarus to use his power, then it will give us more time to prepare."  
Athena grins. "Exactly. They seem keen on making you their pawn still. Use that against them."  
"You can't be serious." I look at her incredulously.  
"Deadly." Athena assures me.  
"I could probably convince the stupid monsters of that, but...they will know. I'd have to go diretly to them and pretend to give in. It would mean..." I put my hand to my head.  
Athena looks at me apologetically. "Getting close to my daughter again and pretending. Plus restraining yourself from ripping her head off."  
I shudder. "Do you know what she wants from me?"  
Athena's eyes flash with intelligence. "Yes." She whispers.  
"I cannot give her that. It will be the first thing she asks of me. I would have to follow orders from them. I could easily fabricate a reason to change the orders a little bit to make it seem I am interested and fake deaths if I have to. Athena, your daughter wants something I never want to give except to one person. I will not break that loyalty." I tell her.  
"What are you talking about?" Artemis asks knowingly.  
"You already know my Moon. Do not worry about it." I smile weakly at her.  
"He can't pretend to do that anyways." Nico speaks up and Athena looks at him. "They know Percy is a Guardian and his loyalty to the one he protects can never be broken. No one is up here to block it either. He could use it against monsters he encounters if they are dumb enough to listen, but that's it."  
Athena sighs. "I know. Chances are that they'll know he is lying anyway."  
Nico smiles and I do too. "But you really should rest before you leave." Apollo tells me.  
"Haste is not a good thing, but the sooner I leave, the sooner I can get back." I say.  
"But you are already tired, more so than you are letting on." Hestia looks at me meaningfully.  
I sink into my throne. "But I can't just sleep knowing about all this."  
"But you will be better prepared for anything and give Nico a better chance at coming back safely. You too of course." Hestia presses.  
"Fine. I'll attempt to sleep before I go." I say.  
"Just how tired are you?" Hera asks concerned.  
"Very, Lady Hera. I can feel it. It makes me want to yawn. The whole entire process the minor gods made him go through and the cleansing and the no sleep thing makes him this way." Nico informs her.  
"Why haven't you said anything?" Hestia asks.  
I shrug. "I'm used to being tired a lot. It's not a problem for me. I just don't let it bother me."  
"That's not healthy." Apollo scolds.  
"Yet you can do nothing about it." I snap. "Sorry. My wolf side makes me moody when it's tired." I yawn. "It is very insistent I sleep more often, but likes the way I do things for guarding others. So it normally doesn't complain. It's funny."  
"Can't you 'officially' drink in a year?" Nicoasks, using quotations.  
I just stare at him. "Dude, I don't drink. And I can already do that agewise if I wanted to. I don't. The closest thing I've had isprobably Red Bull."  
"Oh, that crap makes us hyper. Like, destroy a monster army hyper." Nico makes a gaging motion in disgust.  
"So, make all of you and the demigods drink Red Bull before the battle?" Ares asks.  
"NO!" Artemis, Nico, and I shout at him immediately. "Absolutely not!" I continue. "Holy Hephestus! I wouldn't shut up for the next five hours about the most random of things. I was vibrating and shaking with so much energy nothing could calm me down. The twitching is worse. Of course my ADHD is one of the worse of demigods. But when Phoebe got it, she couldn't sleep, and then she was cranky. Cranky Phoebe is not a happy Phoebe. It means very bad things." I say.  
Ares just looks at us. "There's more than just the littering rule that comes into effect about no pop. Pop is a serious stimulant." Nico says. "No Red Bull."  
"Perseus, you should at least try wine." Dionysus urges me.  
"I don't know." I say unsure.  
"It's fine Persues. Just don't drink a whole lot of it." Artemis giggles.  
"There's a reason I don't drink." I tell her and avert my gaze.  
"But you're nothing like him Percy." Artemis says, I can hear the frown in her voice.  
"I could be." I whisper.  
"No way. You are too kind." Artemis argues.  
I nod, not wanting to say anything.  
"I know something the Fates didn't tell you that might interest you Artemis." I change the subject.  
Her face lights up. "Like what?"  
"My Roman aspect is named Moonlace." I chuckle.  
She giggles and smiles brightly. "That's great."  
"I'd love to see the reactions of the campers. They are aware of me, but they do not know who I am." I tell her.  
"We need to introduce you soon." Zeus says.  
"Of course. But it might need to be after. I will do my best to return as soon as possible. I hope I do not get delayed." I muse.  
"You won't be delayed." Nico says.  
"I hope not. But I swear on my life I will make you regret it if you get captured." I look at him pointedly. He nods and mock salutes. "Idiot child." I mutter.  
"Hey!" Nico yells indignantly.  
"Oh be quiet. You are lucky I let you go, or unlucky. Whichever helps you wake up in the morning. Gah. I shouldn't be letting you go. I am an imbecile." I rub my head.  
"I can agree with that." Artemis laughs and Nico smirks.  
I shrug. "I know. I realize I might have scared some of the Hunters with my, um...nonexistent awareness of my unfeeling actions at some points in time." I look at the floor and scrutinize it.  
Artemis laughs and Nico looks annoyed it didn't bother me. "Yes, you did." She tells me.  
"Ah, Styx. I didn't mean to." I say.  
"Are you blushing?" Hera asks.  
"I might be. I'm not used to it. Stop looking at me!" I say.  
"This is going to be fun. You haven't felt certain emotions around us for years." Artemis giggles. "Are you embarrassed?" She asks surprised.  
"No! I'm just blushing. It's not right. I don't feel anything, but now you're just making it worse." I sink into my throne.  
"It looks adorable because of your pale skin." Hestia says.  
I huff. "It's not funny."  
"I wonder if it's three years worth of no blood rushing to your cheeks happening now." Apollo muses.  
"Oh that's wonderful. What happens when curiosity comes into the equation?" I snap.  
"I'd be more worried about the happiness." Nico says.  
"Please don't say that. I don't want to be that happy." I sink further into my throne.  
"I was just pointing out it might be worth worrying about." Nico tells me.  
"You are still gold." Artemis laughs.  
"Artemis." I whine.  
"I think you are embarrassed and you just forgot what it feels like after three years." Athena chimes in.  
"Shut up. I can't control it and I'm not embarrassed." I tell her.  
"Are you angry?" Athena inquires.  
"No, I am annoyed." I say.  
"Then why are you slouching into your throne?" Hera asks.  
"Because of the blushing!" I throw my hands up in the air.  
"I'm so following you around to get your emotion episodes." Hermes says as he points a camera at me.  
"Oh, so you want to see me be hyper happy, grievingly sad, and a bunch of other bull crap down in Tartarus?" I inquire.  
"Crap." Nico mutters.  
"Want to change your mind?" I ask hopefully.  
"No. I'm still coming." Nico confirms.  
I sigh. "Maybe I should stick you in the realm until I get back."  
He looks horrified. "You wouldn't."  
"I would, but I am not going to. Stupid emotions." I say.  
"Hey, they are good things." Hestia scolds.  
"I just hope I don't start experiencing any of them down in that place. Just in time too, figures. Bunch of killjoys down there. Well, I'm bringing the party. Party o' death." I say.  
"You seem more...alive than usual." Demeter comments.  
I sigh. "Probably." I admit.  
"But you aren't the same as before." Ares adds.  
I shake my head. "No, I am not the same but yet I am."  
"What does that mean?" Zeus asks.  
"You saw me as that happy go lucky and hyper kid running around. But...that is not who I am and I have never been that way. My life has been an act." I whisper.  
"Since when?" Hephaestus rumbles.  
I sigh. "When I realized I was completely and absolutely different from every single thing around me. It was a protective shell to keep myself safe."  
"And you didn't think to tell us that sooner?" Apollo smiles knowingly.  
"Two of you already knew due to your domains, but only one of you looked before I was taken. I assumed the one would have told you by now. I was not interested in revealing anything about myself that was unnecessary. Besides, it's not like it matters now." I shrug.  
"I am glad you've decided to keep those walls down." Artemis grins.  
"I am unable to lie to you and I suppose keeping them up would be lying to you all the time. It is time I tear them down anyway."I smile over at her.  
"You should go get your rest dear." Hera tells me.  
"There are many things that must be taken care of while I am gone." I rub a hand over my face.  
"I will make sure that those children of mine are properly dealt with. The campers will be trained, do not worry about it." Areswaves his hand.  
"I appreciate that." I smile at him.  
"Though...I am not as creative in punishments as you are." Ares chuckles.  
I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Don't blame my past experiences for my torturous imagination." I mutter.  
"Well, you stopped blushing." Artemis giggles.  
"Yeah." I say in a bored tone. I look at Zeus.  
"Meeting adjourned." Zeus says.  
Everyone comes over and wishes me good luck, tells me to be safe, and crushes me to death in hugs.  
Artemis grabs my hand and I look over at her. She is in her fourteen year old form like I am. I smile warmly at her and kiss her cheek, but she surprises me by turning it into a real kiss. It lasts until neither one of us can breathe and we pull away.  
I kiss her nose as my breathing returns to normal. "I'll be fine."  
"You better be. But you are sleeping right now." She tells me.  
I wrap an arm around her waist as we walk out of the throne room and towards her shrine. "I'm sure Nico will make sure I am safe even though it will annoy me to death." I chuckle at the huff that comes from behind me. Nico is trying to give us space as we walk.  
"I'm glad." She grins and leans into me.  
"I know you are. Just stay safe with Delilah and Asale while I am gone. Please, I could not live without you." My hold on her brings her closer to me.  
She looks into my eyes and places a soft peck on my lips. "Nor I you."  
"I see you are adjusting to..." I sigh.  
"Love? Yes, it is quite nice to finally be with my Guardian." She lays her head on my shoulder as we walk into the shrine.  
I chuckle. "I never thought I would be like this."  
She looks up at me questioningly and I guide her though into our realm. "How do you mean?"  
"Being like this, loving someone as dear as you, living this far and with so many...events in my life. I am content now and I know that the feeling will only grow as time moves on." I tell her.  
We walk I silence as she lets that sink in. We enter the Valley of the Hunt and stroll down the hill at a leisurely pace.  
"Are you happy that you will be my..." Artemis trails off.  
"Lover?" I suggest and laugh softly as she blushes golden. "No." She looks hurt and we jerk to a stop. "I am far past happy. There are...no words...to express the depth of emotions I feel at being the object of your love and you mine."  
Her eyes and face light up. "Really?"  
I take in her reaction and smile kindly. "Yes. I am not happy but ecstatic. You use the most simple words for something I need to tell you in a more detailed way. But I know not the words to use. So, I am far past just being happy."  
"You don't act like it." She pouts.  
I grin. "Do I now?" She gives me a suspicious look.  
"What are yo-" She squeaks as I lift her up into my arms and start to stride towards the home where the Hunt stays.  
I shift into my seventeen year old form and she follows by changing into her sixteen year old one. I walk straight into the home and to my room. I pin her on the bed. "Should I show you how happy I am?"  
She just looks at me. I kiss her fiercely and she responds immediately. The kiss deepens considerably and she pulls away breathless. "Percy-"  
I cut her off. "No, we will not do that." I tell her and she nods as she pulls my lips back to hers.  
How long we continue like that is lost on me but she doesn't want to end when I finally pull away from her. "I've never felt like this before. It's hard to stop after so long." Artemis breathes.  
I chuckle and plant a kiss on her forehead. I roll over to lay down beside her. "I can say the same. But you waited far longer than I did."  
She rolls to lay on top of me, her feet in the air. She kicks them back and forth. "How happy are you exactly?"  
I wrap my arms around her. "Far happier than I can act all the time. I'm still trying to get used to feeling again. Maybe once everything settled within me I will be able to properly show you all the time how happy I truly am."  
She grins. "Just hurry. Our wedding is in a week or two. I've still got to announce the new Olympian and my beloved to the campers and the rest of the mythological world."  
I chuckle. "I need sleep my Moon if I am to hurry. You're distracting me greatly. I doubt I'll even be able to sleep."  
She grins and kisses me again. She sighs into it and I make us roll onto our sides. She laughs. "Am I trapped here now?"  
"Yes. You aren't leaving now that you are here." I whisper into her ear and she shivers. I laugh breathlessly and pull the covers over us.  
We both shift back into our fourteen year old forms. I fall asleep looking at her loving face and my hold on her doesn't slacken.  
soul is purity itself and Tartarus the dark to my light. My purity, my innocence, my compassion is in this part of my soul, the part that was cast out of me during my many deaths. If I am to be whole and strong, I need this part to be saved.  
"I am your salvation." I tell him and he closes his eyes to help me.  
Though I do not want it inside me, I need it back so I can protect Artemis. Even though I hate to admit it, I might actually need this part of me to be alive again. I always feel empty and maybe...maybe this is why. Maybe I do need this. I hate it when gods are right.  
I jerk him forwards and catch him as he falls. As he falls, my power cleanses him completely and he rejoins with me. I gasp at the sudden power rush. I fall to the ground as the moonlight beams up into the moon again. A hand is placed on my back and I look up at my Guardian.  
"You alright Perce?" Nico asks.  
"Yes Nico, I am whole again. I will be just fine. My strength has returned. I am finally at peace. No more turmoil is inside, my former life has officially come to an end." I answer in a deep, velvety, musical voice.  
"You had me worried. You were taking forever." Nico grins and helps me stand.  
"Gods, was I really a little kid for awhile?" I ask him and he starts laughing.  
"Yeah, do you remember?" Nico asks after he can breathe.  
"A little bit. My mind can see why it happened and I agree with its decision, but I do not like it. But I prefer the younger part." I answer and turn into a fourteen year old.  
Nico just looks at me. "What are you doing?" Nico asks with a raised eyebrow.  
"Like Artemis normally stays in her eight year old form, I will most likely be in a similar age for the same duration. Most of theGuardians are this age or a year or two older. You still look fourteen. The hotel has had an effect on your growth rate Nico. You should be sixteen, but you still look fourteen. You can choose to stay in that form or let the immortality age you to an age you want. It can always be changed, but if you choose to age you cannot return to this look. Do you understand?" I reply.  
Nico nods. "I'll stay this way for the time being Percy. Jason is twenty, Piper is twenty. Thalia is fifteen. Frank is eighteen or nineteen along with Hazel. Raphael is twenty. I may be the youngest looking, but I'm older than some."  
"I understand. As you can see, I will around yours and Thali's age. This makes me very happy." I smile and clap his back.  
"Do you have a fourteen year old mindset?" Nico asks hopefully.  
I raise an eyebrow and roll my eyes. "I can let it influence me, but not now. I don't really feel the need to act like a fourteen year old. I stay in this form for my younger Guardians. You have the choice to run around with me like Artemis and her Hunters. You are my lieutenant of the Guardians. You are also my Guardian. You will always be around me. The others may join us at any time they wish. But their duties are given to them by those they protect. If they have time and their respective god or goddess lets them, they may travel with us."  
Nico nods and grins. "I get to be with my best friends forever! Awesome. WHat am I supposed to be doing?"  
"Right now, we need to get back to the throne room. I would guess they are waiting and I am tired. I need to sleep. It is for the best." I tell him.  
"I still can't believe you and I are the same height." He whines. "I want to be taller for once."  
I chuckle. "In time. I might be shorter than you if I take a younger form. We have a few ten year old Guardians or younger. This is the median age to make thewm all comfortable. I can be younger for them every once in a while if they wish it to be so. I wouldn't mind."  
"I've lost my older than you privilege." Nico grumbles.  
I laugh. "I know."  
"But you seem so wise." Nico complains.  
"Yes, I've had time to become even wiser from my experiences. Athena's blessing helps with the process. Nowadays, I would expect to see her more often. She normally looks for people of her mindset to converse with. She will seek me out at one point. She has visited the Hunt's camp a few times over the last few years to speak with me and spar with Artemis." I inform him.  
"Cool. Did she help you any?" Nico asks as we ascend out of the well.  
"She did. Not as much as she would think she did, but I let her know that she was helping. Just not to the full extent." I tell him.  
"So are you ready to face your mother and soon-to-be wife?" Nico asks.  
I chuckle. "It's an odd concept of being married at the age of fourteen, of course, I will be in my older form when the ceremonytakes place. Yes, I am ready. I still do not fear anything. It is going to be awkward however. And I do not like awkward situations. My memory returns. I have no idea how I am to explain this."  
Nico laughs as we enter Artemis's shrine. "Do you think I could help?"  
"Perhaps." I nod.  
"Okay, how do I help you?" Nico asks.  
"Hmm...help me explain my antics for my mind and soul were overwhelmed along with my concept and receptor to feeling emotions I have not felt in years, nor did I want them. Now I see how foolish that was, I am at my most powerful now." I answer.  
Nico nods slowly. "Got it. I understand. So, you never told me."  
"About what Nico?" I prompt.  
"What all am I supposed to do as your Guardian?" He finishes.  
"You will learn as you go. I assume you already know at least one or two of your duties." I reply.  
"Yeah. I'm lieutenant of Lord Perseus's Guardians, just like Thalia is lieutenant of Lady Artemis's Hunters. I have to look out for all the Guardians, keep you safe, things like that. Your domains require my attention." Nico tells me.  
"Yes. I have a lot of domains to cover. I am not worried though. Those who are under my protection are perfectly well." I smile at him. We walk through the doors of the throne room. "Though, I fear for what the enemy has done. If the information I got from m corrupted part was correct, Tartarus has been very busy since my rescue and I do not like our odds. We have too few to combat the hordes that gather beneath the surface world. The outcome of such a catastrophe will be horrid. I do not think the demigods are ready for yet another war. Especially with their experienced warriors being assigned to be Guardians. My Guardians will have to take to the front lines. We will have to minimize the casualties. We cannot die in battle, nor can we fade to reform in Tartarus. We can only truly die if those we are sworn to protect fade. If thewy die and must reform our duty is to save them and speed up their process. I am the only god among us who cannot die to reform or fade. I will lead the charge if it comes to it."  
Nico looks at me grimly. "That is not good. A council meeting should be called."  
"Yes, it should." Artemis says from her throne.  
"Hello Artemis. I'm glad to see you are well. I am sorry for my actions as of late. I was not myself." I smile at her a little.  
She grins. "I know. Do you remember?"  
"You seem to have enjoyed our game of deadly tag along with my new companion." I smile warmly. "I too enjoyed that. It's nice to be free for once. Though, we cannot afford it now. This is worse than I could have imagined in such a short time. I should have known better. I knew something was wrong, I was just too preoccupied to see through the haze. I'm such a fool for giving up after so long." I curse myself.  
"How long did you believe you would get out?" Zeus asks curiously.  
A grim expression crosses my face and then turns sullen. "I didn't give up for two centuries. That's when I stopped believing. When I broke. When I became inhuman. It won't happen again, I won't allow it. The last century is when I let my mind stop hoping, and I forced down my soul to survive."  
"Admirable." Ares speaks as he walks in. "Why the hell are you a 14 year old again?"  
"I have taken the form that is the median for my Guardians. It is also the age my own Guardian appears to be. Though he is much older. Would you prefer I be older when I encounter you?" I ask.  
He thinks over it. "Come to think of it, I always view you as just young. It does not matter to me. I guess you won't appear too much older than 25 for the most part because of my sister. But when we duel, I'd like to duel you in many different ages. If you don't mind."  
I nod. "I will keep that in mind. For now, I need to ask you something."  
"What is it?" He replies curiously.  
"How fast can you whip the demigods into shape?" I inquire.  
He raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that your job at the moment?"  
"Yes, it is. but I may be needed elsewhere at this point in time. I don't like the idea, rather it needs to be done. I know...I know what must be done to require the proper information of the enemy." I sigh.  
By now, all the gods are upon their thrones, including me. "What do you mean?" Hera asks suspiciously.  
"The information we need can be obtained in all of two ways. The man I was pointed to during my third quest to save Artemis, or someone needs to be given the task of traveling down to Tartarus to retrieve the necessary information of giving us an advantage. I do not like the idea of anyone having to go down there at all. It is no place for the faint of heart. It is certainly no place any of you want to venture. Your powers are weak there. It is a miracle you long ago went there to save the cyclops, but you were young, you were always training, preparing to bring down your father, you haven't been up to date. The only ones who even train or do anything to improve on their skills, are Artemis and Ares. I will not have Artemis down there. It's too much and they might capture her, Ares may be capable enough, but he won't be able to get out on the strength he would have left over for the return trip. There is only one person who cannot be effected so much, even not at all." I lean forward so they can see how serious I am about this.  
"No!" Hera and Artemis scream together. "What?!" Poseidon screeches.  
"Enough!" They quiet down reluctantly. "I will depart for Tartarus myself. I will find this source of evil. I will not be stopped bythose pathetic fools. I do not speak out of revenge, but out of concern for everyone's wellbeing. Do not spite me Lord Ares. There is more than just Tartarus's evil corrupting them all so much further, more brains in the plans I happen to know of other than Annabeth's ideas, this taint must be found." I sigh. "This means too many things will be found out that might frighten the heroes. I cannot bring myself to tell them what I may learn. Something is very wrong with the shifts of the world below. The Underworld is no longer a safe place to be, especially for any of you. Hades, I request that you stay in the world your palace needs to be protected and Annabeth Chase needs to be kept out of the Underworld and in Tartarus, it is not worth your life. Please stay up here and out of the way of the enemy. Your talents can help those up here."  
Hades just stares at me and then sighs. "I'd prefer a 14 year old would not scold me."  
I chuckle. "I am not scolding you and I am not 14. I do enjoy this form however."  
Hades smiles a little. "Then how will my palace be protected?"  
I put my hand to my head. "There might be something I can do with magic. That or nothing at all and it be left defenseless. But..." I shudder. "My magic is destructive. I do not use it frequently. Only if someone is in grave danger and it takes aphenomenal amount of concentration. I once used a protection spell on one of the hunters to save her from a poison arrow. Protection is one of my specialties. Other than that, my magic is chaotic. It is the shield or the sword in their major aspects. Destruction and defense, the balance. It is hard to keep them from intertwining, together they are very deadly."  
"Magic? Since when are you good at magic?" Dionysus asks.  
"Since I practiced the magic given to me as Guardian of the Moon and Hunt. It is an interesting combination of the two categories my magic lie in. Ezekeiel has Warding and tracking magic. I do not need magic to track in any of my forms, he needed it in human form and it strengthened his wolf form's tracking abilities. Mine lie purely in the sole purpose of my soul, fatal flaw, and my will, all aimed at protecting those I truly care about. It is rarely ever conceivable that all Guardians have magic. I sense that my Guardian, Apollo's Guardian, Aphrodite's Guardian, and Hephaestus's Guardian have magic at this point in time. I feel that the younger ones will develop in their own time once they settle into their positions, but not all of them will be able to wield magic. Some might be late bloomers, I am unsure. Once I feel it, I will tell them and show them how to control it. I know exactly what fields they possess and I am sure that Hecate would know. It is her domain. I believe she will visit me in some point in time over the matter." I inform him.  
Dionysus nods. "How come you never told us?"  
"I've told a number of people. The Hunters, Artemis already knew she explained it to me, my two mothers, Zeus knew, Apollo knew, Ares almost got fried dueling me because of it and found out the hard way, Hecate obviously didn't need to be told, Selene and Ezekeiel talked know, and I'm sure any older deity who can sense my power correctly know. I was just never outright with my power, I don't exactly have to have it. I am not adamant in letting them all know. And it has kept monsters away from camp. My aura is normally suppressed just like Artemis keeps hers pushed down. The hunters have the ability , a number of my followers will know how to conceal their presence, but no matter how much you hide it, I can pinpoint it. The only other able to do this is my fellow Moon Guardian. His magic is great. I am most happy that his symbol has been replanted." I laugh at Dionysus's face.  
Hera smiles warmly at my reaction to Dionysus. "You seem more fun loving my child." Hestia comments.  
"I suppose that would have to do from rejoining with the parts of my soul that separated from me at my number of deaths down in the Pit. I have cleansed it and reconnected with it. Though I am not used to feeling...not empty, it is a familiar notion in some way. Something that I once had. It has been a long time since I remember being truly whole. The evil that corrupted my dead soul, that was awful, through his memories of the Pit in the last three years of drifting through it aimlessly, he has given me those facts. It is why I am determined to go to Tartarus. What I have seen is not good one single bit." I shake my head. "The demigods alone cannot stand against them. It would be mass genocide."  
"Wait, so you've been both up here and down there these past three years?" Apollo asks concerned.  
"Stop your doting on my state of mind, I get enough of the motherly affection from Hera and Hestia. I am perfectly sane thank you very much. If I wasn't I'd be in the damned infirmary. To answer your question though, yes that is the perfect way to see it. I am lucky Tartarus and the rest did not capture the parts of my soul that left me down there. Thanatos was right, I died man a time in that place. I am the only living soul on our side that knows the layout of the Pit like the back of my hand." I tell Apollo and the rest of my family.  
"What?" Hera asks. "But weren't you just in that cave and somewhere outside of it where they made you train?"  
I shake my head and look at the floor and then into her eyes. "No, I was dragged all over. I have seen everything that place has to offer. Each time I was out, it may look the same to your eyes, but to mine, I knew that I was always in a different place. Athena, you should tell them, your sister already knows." I whisper the last sentence.  
"I lied to you all when I told Perseus his age. He prayed to me not to make you worry about him. Kronos, he...slowed down time for Perseus. Perseus was not there for just three centuries. He was there for..." Athena can't bring herself to say it.  
"Tell me." Hestia's lip quivers.  
"I was down there for a millennia and I didn't give up hope for 900 years. But that last century was when Tartarus's air started to cloud my judgement. I let my guard down for just a split second after one of their worst tortures and it cost me my willpower. I couldn't look at anything at all. The already terrible plains around me became worse. I was corrupted and I couldn't fight back. It is my greatest shame, but has given me one of my largest goals. This time, I am prepared for anything. I won't fall again." My eyes flash red.  
"Calm down Percy." Ares says.  
I close my eyes and they return to normal. "Sorry." I tell him.  
Zeus is just looking at me in fright. "What?" Hera chokes out.  
"I am 1,020 years of age. Artemis did not want the hunters to worry constantly about what they think would make me fragile. I am far from fragile. I had to admit it to Apollo, idiot asked me the right question. Stupid god of truth." I mutter the last sentence.  
"Hey!" Apollo yells indignantly.  
I put my hands up. "I didn't want everybody knowing. I'm too old to be treated like I am glass. I have seen worse things than many. I am not a fool, I knew what would happen if I told you. You would have kept me under monitor more so than you have been doing. I am completely fine. Apollo has made sure. I assure you that I am every bit as sane as the next person. Artemis is happy with my state of mind. I too am happy with it. Thememories are sealed in the back of my mind."  
"May I see the new memories?" Apollo asks.  
I look him straight in the eyes and he shudders at the silver glow emitting from them. "As the god of knowledge, Tartarus should not be out of your range of sight, however, something blocks you. It proves that my mission is more necessary than your false beliefs in keeping me away fom that wretched plain. I am needed. I am unbound by Ancient Laws just like my wife-to-be. I may go past those laws, I will aid where many of you can't. The demigods will die out if this threat is not dealt with properly. Yes, we can all have new demigods, but there are no replacing those we will have lost. We might not be here to conceive new ones if we do not tread with caution. Apollo, this is the one time you do not have to see so much horror, do you truly want to know what I have seen?"  
Apollo nods with a grave expression. "I do."  
"Then look." I let him into my mind.  
He searches it for everything and then snaps out of my mind once he has found what he did not know before. I close off my mind again and he looks absolutely apalled. "You are right. It could mean the end. And though I hate to admit it, you need to go down there for all of us to survive."  
I nod in thanks. "Then it is settled. I will leave after this meeting, first to defend the Underworld from being entered by unwelcome entities and then I shall delve into Tartarus with the goal of finding out all I can in mind. But I warn you, it will be much longer for me down there in the Pit than it will be for you. Once I have the Underworld under my protection, you may return uncle. But keep an eye on my magic. It may not be easy to break, but if there is something of great power inside of Tartarus, then I don't know if it will hold."  
"It will hold. Your magic is way more powerful than you think." Artemis smiles weakly.  
I laugh darkly. "Oh, you have no idea Artemis. I will make it so that nothing can break it without killing me. If I find the bastard, I'll attempt to do more than just spy on him. I'll kill him if I can."  
She grins evilly. "I know everything about you dear."  
I roll my eyes. "Yeah, and I know everything about you. So, you know not to worry for my sake down in that place. Keep mymothers company please my lady. It will ease my mind when I am down in that hole."  
"And if you are captured? What then?" Hera whispers.  
I smile kindly at her. "Mother, in the event that that happens, they will not be able to hold me for long. They won't live long enough to see my blood splattered on those walls. You need not worry senselessly for my well being. I know what I am doing."  
"But to go through all of that and willingly go back..." Hestia looks at me sadly.  
"Yes, I am the ultimate loyal soul. My fatal flaw knows no bounds. I would do anything for anyone I hold dear. Really it's tiring, but I do it anyway." I sigh.  
"Weren't you planning on resting after the meeting?" NIco looks at me.  
I smirk. "I can rest when I'm dead di Angelo. Which will never happen. I'll never catch a break."  
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "You are so much older than me it isn't fair."  
"Not like I wanted to be this old so soon there buddy. But it has given me something as a result. I honestly want to kill that witch of a little girl. I'll wring her neck if she comes within my sight. But, I suppose I should thank her too. Styx I hate her. Not Lady Styx anyways." I tell him.  
"You should still slep before you go." Hera scolds.  
"I will be fine. Not the first time I haven't slept in a day or so." I inform her.  
"He's stayed up for a whole entire week when I made him stay with the girls one time. I had to have Thalia and Phoebe hold him down while I drugged him." Artemis sighs.  
"I don't want a repeat of that episode. The nightmare I was locked in was awful. All I did was stay up worrying about your safety and the safety of the girls. Give me credit that I didn't dump them in the nearest lake for arguing about their own needs. I do not appreciate the food thing." I grumble.  
"It's not their fault you're overbearingly protective. Like a mother bear." Artemis mumbles.  
"That's what the hunters told my little sister and I." Nico laughs.  
"Eh. At least I care." I mutter.  
"It's a good thing you do." Artemis grins.  
"Yeah, or half of them wouldn't be here today." I say quietly.  
Artemis just looks at me. "What does that mean?"  
"I'll tell you when I get back. Those girls get themselves in loads of trouble when you aren't looking. It's a miracle I haven't been shot on accident by the young ones. They get overly excited and Phoebe doesn't help with the hyperactiveness being a daughter of Ares. ADHD for her is like sugar for Hephaestus kids. Sometimes I worry when she's left alone with them. Thaliajust encourages the behavior." I say and she nods.  
"You still need to ask me something." Artemis says in a sing song voice with a grin.  
"Do I now?" I smile knowingly.  
Everybody looks between us confused. "Maybe, but I still want to be asked. Just so I know." She sticks her tongue out at me.  
I laugh at her childishness. "If it makes you feel better. May I please go back to the Hell from whence I was rescued my dear Moon?"  
She grins. "I don't see why not. But if you come back with a single scratch I will not forgive you for a millennia."  
I roll my eyes. "I doubt that." I smile and this time she rolls her eyes. "It's one thing I am very confident about."  
"Only one?" She teases.  
"Wouldn't you like to know." I chuckle.  
"I do know." She laughs.  
"I must address a matter beforehand." I look at Zeus.  
"What matter would this be?" Demeter inquires, smiling at my interaction with Artemis.  
"There is one thing that I can do that I will not do without your permission. It may be my domain, but I know their roles in your lives are great, for I hold a role like that myself. I mentioned it when I walked in." I reply.  
"What is it?" Zeus asks befuddled.  
"The Guardians cannot die in battle, nor can they die to reform. If they are gravely injured, they can be healed and be sent back into battle. I want all of your permission to call on my group of Guardians to defend Olympus. We will be on the frontlines. We will be the best defense you have against the enemy. I must ask you all if I may lead them into battle, but I do not want you joining in." I tell him.  
They all start protesting. "Quiet!" I yell and they quiet down indignantly. Hera and Hestia have no problem with this.  
"Now, the reason I have for your abstaining from this battle has two influences. The first being I do not want any of you to decrease in power. You are still recovering from the last two wars. Typhon and the Giants were a serious blow to your power storage. Three years is not enough to recharge, forgive my reference, after using so much power. Artemis is allowed to enter,but I do not want her in harm's way. She and the hunters can use their bows to kll the monsters from a safe distance while the Guardians and I take on the massive army. Wherever the battlefield may take place, we will lead the front. If the demigods are needed, they will be called upon. But I will not risk it if it is unnecessary. There are already enough deaths and they are few in number. Do I have your consent?" I look at all of them.  
"Yes." They all answer one after another.  
"I get the feeling you would have called on them either way." Ares smirks.  
I grin. "Yes, I would have. I know what is best to defend the gods and the campers."  
Athena smiles. "I hope you don't mean you know better than me."  
"Of course not Athena, I merely refer to the experience against the enemy an I know how they tick. You are wise and can adjust my plans. You are obviously my first choice at planning when I get back from the depths. I do not know what all I will find, but I know I will not like it." I sigh again.  
"And what if this foreboding energy you think comes from a being of great power gets their hands on you?" Hephaestus speaks.  
"Then I do not know. I will make it out somehow. It might take a long time, but I will escape its grasp. I have no idea if it is even a person or just a presence of mind without a body. It is old and it means harm. Maybe it is something before remembering or when the primordials were the only all-powerful beings on our world. It sends a malevolent feeling running up and down my spine. I don't think I'll like the way it thinks if I should happen across it face to face." I answer Hephaestus and he nods.  
"If he does manage to capture you, it is practically guaranteed it will be worse than the others." Ares says solemnly.  
"Prisoner of war. Yes, I am well aware. Leverage, someoneto interrogate. I know what will happen to me if I am caught by that force. The others I can handle." I tell him.  
"They will want to use you as a bargaining chip. What do we do then?" Athena looks at me.  
"Forget about me. I can handle myself. This time I won't be held. Especially not as a hostage." I answer.  
"We can't just leave yo-!" Artemis starts to yell.  
"No, Artemis." I raise my voice and look her dead on and she quiets down with tears in her eyes. "If I am taken, you will forget about me. I promise I will return. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to you. You have my word."  
"But..." She starts to argue but trails off with a couple tears running down her face.  
"I have listened to you because I know you are right, but now you are letting your feelings cloud your judgement. Now I am asking you to listen to what I have to say, because I know I am right. You know I am right. You all do. I am not worth what they will do to you and the world. They will not honor any agreement, even if it is on the Styx or Tartarus himself. They will break the promised terms and kill you or take you for themselves. Maybe in your eyes and others I am worth much more in the world, but what use would it be to have me, but be dead and have no world at all. At least this way I can gain more knowledge. I will be a distraction." I say and she nods with tears rolling down her face faster and faster.  
I soften. "There is something else troubling you isn't there?" I smile warmly.  
She nods. "Yes."  
"What is wrong my Moon? You never cry." I ask gently.  
"What will I tell the girls? You're like their father." She says.  
I chuckle. "Before or after they stop Thalia from exploding in a brught burst of electricity from seeing the look on your face when you come in? She knows when you are down. The only thing you have to worry about is Thalia trying to kill me when I get back. it kills me to hurt you in this way, but it is to protect you, and that is my life. There may be a few tears, but mostly anger for my leaving to return to that place. I'm sure Phoebe would want to go with me to give Annabeth a piece of her mind and Thalia would just want to kill them all. The girls will just pester me when I return. Just tel them that I have gone for the sake of...the world I guess. Why do I always have to be involved in saving this planet?"  
Artemis bursts out laughing at my innocent curiosity at my question. I smile at her reaction. "See, nothing to worry about. Just enjoy your time with the girls. Stay in our realm where Nico can better keep watch over all of you."  
"Oh no, I'm going with ya pal." Nico whirls around with his hands on his hips.  
"Absolutely not. I will not have you down there again." I tell him sternly.  
"It is my job to protect you. I am going. No arguments." Nico growls.  
"Don't start with me Nico." I glare down at him. "I need you here to protect the others. It is also one of your duties."  
"But my main duty is to stay at your side and defend you." Nico counters.  
"That place nearly broke you the first time, a second time that is not necessary would ruin you. If we were to be captured, then you won't be able to handle what they can do to you. i would never forgive myself if they got their hands on you." I snap at him.  
He glares up at me. "I. Am. Going. That's final."  
"No, it is not." I rise from my throne and shrink so I can get in his face. "I will not lose one of the only friends I consider very dear to those evil demons. I will not have your blood on my hands and destruction on my conscious. I am going alone."  
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Nico shouts in fury.  
"Nico," My expression ages from too much information and oain and he flinches at my sudden turn in mood. He looks at thefloor. "My old friend, I love the fact that you would go with me and I wish that you would, but I cannot allow you to go. I don't want to lose you. It would hurt me greatly. You are too dear and important to my heart. I couldn't bear the loss I would feel."  
He doesn't look me in the eyes as he answers. "But I can't die until you do and that requires Artemis to fade."  
"There are more ways to die than physically, my friend. None of them are pretty. Do you truly wish to go? Are you realy so determined to come with me into that place? Willing to go back to where it gave you nightmares and memories you just got over? What about Thalia? She loves you, if she saw some change in you, she would never be able to grieve. It would take so much to heal you. Can you realy return?" I ask.  
He looks upwith fire in his eyes. "Yes, I am. Thalia will understand. She would kick my ass if I let you go alone."  
I smile. "Very well. Then you best be ready. I don't want you captured with me."  
"The same can be said from me. If either of us is captured, then we can work on getting the other out." Nico grins mischievously.  
"Just listen to me down there." I sigh exasperatedly.  
"Whatever. I was young when I went down there the first time." He sticks his tongue out at me.  
"Apparently you still are my Guardian." I chuckle at his red face.  
"That's not fair. Look what you did only hours ago." He fires right back at me.  
I raise an eyebrow. "I was not myself at that point in time. I only remembered after I came out of the well. I didn't even know what the Hades was going on. I was trapped inside my own head trying to deal with the overwhelming flow of emotions. You can't use that against me."  
"But you said you liked it." Nico points out.  
"I also told you that I understood why I subconsciously did it." I smile at his defeated look.  
"But you were so cute." Hestia beams at me.  
"I can visit you in that form if you wish mother." She nods at my suggestion.  
"I would adore spending time with you when you are in that form as well." Hera laughs and I grin.  
"What are you guys talking about?" Ares asks intrigued.  
"Hmm, guess you didn't know. I reverted to a younger form due to some problems I had with the minor gods. They gave me parts of my soul back that I did not want. They weren't cleansed like the rest of me and I was slowly deteriorating from the influx. To deal with it, I became younger and innocent while I healed, but seeing them all again made me very sick. I just returned from recleansing myself. I am whole again. I believe I was an eight year old for a while bfore I was about four when I came running in...So was Artemis to keep me occupied." I explain and Aphrodite squeals.  
"What do you look like as a four year old?!" She fires at me.  
I change into my four year old form for her. "Like this most likely."  
She bounds down to me and picks me up. She starts asking me questions nonstop. "Aphrodite. Can you please put me down?" I ask.  
"Oh, sorry." She squeaks and sets me down.  
I return to my fourteen year old form. I dust off my clothes to get rid of the pink glitter. "Thank you. Oh, Asale. Where did she go?"  
"Over here!" I here a tiny voice. She and Delilah run over to me and hug me.  
Delilah just rolls her eyes at me. "We will keep watch over Artemis and the hunters."  
"Even though we want to go with you." Asale whines and crawls up to my shoulders.  
"The horrors of that place are not meant for you little one. It is best you stay here, besides, you are not yet fully grown like Delilah is and she is still settling in with her body and powers. She was only born a few days ago." I tell Asale and she nods.  
"I know. But it stinks that only Nico gets to go with you. You better take care of my master or I'll bite you where you don't want to be bitten mister." Asale threatens Nico.  
Nico stares at her in horror. He puts his hands up in surrender. "Nothing will happen to him. I promise." He gets out quickly. Asale nods accpetingly.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why are you calling me master Asale?" I ask her incredulously.  
"Because you are." She hugs me.  
"You're my Companion and friend. You do not belong to me. I love you as a friend, sister, and daughter. Not as a thing I comand." I argue with her.  
"Technically, we do belong to you, but I know you hate that sort of thing. Not your forte. It is nice we have a good master." Delilah hugs me.  
"Just don't call me that." I say.  
"Okay!" Asale agrees.  
"Very well." Delilah hugs me tighter and I do the same.  
"Who is the tiny one?" Dionysus asks.  
"I am not tiny!" Asale yells at him, shocking Dionysus.  
I laugh as I pull away from Delilah. "She is another one of my Companions."  
"How many do you have?" Athena asks.  
I think about it. "Hmm. Many apparently. I have not met them yet. Delilah and Asale are both wolves. Blackjack and Mrs. O' Leary are my sacred animal representations and close friends. They are not Companions. They are like us Guardians, they cannot die until after the one they are Companion to dies."  
"Does this mean they will all be fighting alongside you in the upcoming battle?" Ares inquires.  
"Oh, I get to knock some monsters around, this is so exciting." Delilah says.  
"I'll rip out their throats." Asale growls.  
"Why is she so bloodthirsty?" Aphrodite asks.  
"More like she's been raised by wolves so far in her life, she's very primal in her actions." I tell her matter of factly.  
"Oh. Okay. That explains it." Aphrodite nods. "Are you going to teach her manners?"  
"Nah. It'll be fine. The influences arounfd her are going to be pretty bloodthirsty, mainly towards males. I'm sure Phoebe will just make it worse, or groom it to a fine point where it's only at monsters and males." I shrug, causing Asale to giggle from the movement.  
"Delilah says she'll protect the nice girls. I want to help, but maybe I can help somewhere else. What can I do?" Asale looks at me expectantly.  
"Why don't you go save girls from bad men or demigods to help them? You could keep an eye on things for Nico while he and I are away." I tell her.  
Her eyes light upand she bursts into happiness. "Woohoo! Love you brother!" Asale kisses my cheek and jumps off of me and onto Delilah. "Let's go sis! C'mon!" Asale howls very wolfishly in her human form.  
Delilah grins devilishly and takes off faster than I can say Olympus. Nico just stares after them. "Can you run that fast?" He looks at me.  
"Yup. Delilah has my characteristics for the most part. Powers included. So does Asale. All my Companions do. Well, the ones I have bonded with at any rate." I shrug and he just punches me on the shoulder playfully, grinning like a madman.  
"Wait, so are you that bloodthirsty?" Poseidon asks uncertainly.  
"Uh..." I chuckle nervously.  
"Percy?" My father starts with that tone.  
I sigh in defeat. "Maybe a little bit. The torture doesn't help. Do you know what I've done to males for the past three years? Not a great sight and it leaves them scarred for life. Probably won't consider having kids until it's way too late. The wolf side isn't to pleasant on the punishment due to justice thing and ultimately makes me hungry for blood to be spilt. I'm just under influences. Delilah holds my memories, but I don't know about Asale. She may get them as she grows, or not at all."  
"Percy!" Hera exclaims.  
"What?" I ask defensively with my hands raised.  
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this either. What have you got to say?" Hera steams.  
"Um...I'm not the best person in the world to answer that question." I say.  
"You're answering it anyway." Hera says.  
"Well," I rub the back of my head and try to come up with something to say. "I didn't really think about it. It might just scare you and I normally don't act like it anyways. I always have this urge to chase after anything that moves though. It's an annoying reflex at times, but it helps."  
Hera huffs angrily and crosses her arms. "Mom, calm down. I just don't think about it all the time. I'm not going to go on a frenzy. Well, maybe on evil men who touch women like that. I caught this one guy recently and-" Artemis clamps her hand over my mouth.  
"Percy! I don't think Hera needs to know what you did to the man who tried to touch Krissa." Artemis hisses.  
I roll my eyes and she takes her hand off of my mouth. "Fine. I thought he deserved it though." I grumble and cross my arms.  
"Yes he did, but it might make her sick." Artemis looks at Hera concernedly.  
"Not my fault the guy pissed me off for trying to touch the maiden." I mutter.  
"Language!" Artemis scolds.  
I sigh. "I can't help it when I think about stuff like that."  
She grins. "I know. It's funny when we let you rant about it."  
"But it's not worth it if the little Hunters don't hear how awful it is." I complain.  
"They don't need to hear all that profanity though." Artemis giggles.  
"But it adds accent to the entire monologue. It makes it more intriguing." I tell her.  
"Maybe, but we don't need them using those words." Artemis says.  
"It's not like they haven't heard it before. There was plenty of it in their stories. I swear way less and far nicer than those men." I say indignantly.  
"Not the one time. Every five words wasn't a bad word. Phoebe couldn't breathe she was laughing so hard that I don't think she slept that night she had a huge case of the giggles, she had trouble covering the ears of a younger hunter. I think it made Thalia pretty happy though. She was smiling for the next week." Artemis says.  
"Well it was necessary. You can't expect me to not be like that over something so horribly twisted to that young of a child." I argue.  
"I know. It's nice to know you feel that way about the matter." Artemis laughs.  
"Wait a minute. What vocabulary have you learned? And where from?" Hera asks astonished.  
"Uh, well, um my childhood and down...there..." I trail off from the look on her face.  
Poseidon eyes me, confusion written clearly on his face. "Sally didn't and would never have used that kind of vocabulary around you. I know Paul didn't."  
I look at the floor. "It wasn't either of them."  
"You mean that cruel man?" Artemis asks furiously.  
"Yes." I admit slowly.  
"Oh, I should have known." Poseidon curses himself.  
"It's quite alright really. He's dead now. I'll deal with him after the war." I tell him in finality and he nods.  
"We should about what happened before you became a god." Apollo says.  
"Oh, right. I had an encounter with my old captors. Joy." I say.  
"Yes, they were quite certain of using you as a bridge." Athena comments seriously.  
"Yes. I have weakened them. But I don't know if Tartarus has healed them or not in his own weakened state. Maybe the older being has healed them." I return to my throne.  
"Not likely. If he doesn't have a body like you think, then he will be saving his strength to form one he has lost or has never had." Apollo joins in.  
"But if he does have a body, then he should be saving his strength for the final battle." Ares adds.  
"He might be arrogant enough to use up the stored energy anyway." Dionysus says.  
"Kronos was arrogant the last time. He didn't waste his energy. The being should know better." I contradict him and he nods after a few seconds of thinking about it.  
"But back to my original point, if they have another way to reach the plains above, where is it? Perseus should try to find out how else they can return. Tartarus nees a lot of power to send so many monsters if I go by what Apollo and Perseus keep referring to. He won't get powerful beings up beforehand, it would weaken him further. There must be some other way to come up other than the Doors of Death." Athena states.  
I nod. "I know what I must gather and look for. I will try to cut off this route and see if they have any other ways to leave. If I can force them to make Tartarus to use his power, then it will give us more time to prepare."  
Athena grins. "Exactly. They seem keen on making you their pawn still. Use that against them."  
"You can't be serious." I look at her incredulously.  
"Deadly." Athena assures me.  
"I could probably convince the stupid monsters of that, but...they will know. I'd have to go diretly to them and pretend to give in. It would mean..." I put my hand to my head.  
Athena looks at me apologetically. "Getting close to my daughter again and pretending. Plus restraining yourself from ripping her head off."  
I shudder. "Do you know what she wants from me?"  
Athena's eyes flash with intelligence. "Yes." She whispers.  
"I cannot give her that. It will be the first thing she asks of me. I would have to follow orders from them. I could easily fabricate a reason to change the orders a little bit to make it seem I am interested and fake deaths if I have to. Athena, your daughter wants something I never want to give except to one person. I will not break that loyalty." I tell her.  
"What are you talking about?" Artemis asks knowingly.  
"You already know my Moon. Do not worry about it." I smile weakly at her.  
"He can't pretend to do that anyways." Nico speaks up and Athena looks at him. "They know Percy is a Guardian and his loyalty to the one he protects can never be broken. No one is up here to block it either. He could use it against monsters he encounters if they are dumb enough to listen, but that's it."  
Athena sighs. "I know. Chances are that they'll know he is lying anyway."  
Nico smiles and I do too. "But you really should rest before you leave." Apollo tells me.  
"Haste is not a good thing, but the sooner I leave, the sooner I can get back." I say.  
"But you are already tired, more so than you are letting on." Hestia looks at me meaningfully.  
I sink into my throne. "But I can't just sleep knowing about all this."  
"But you will be better prepared for anything and give Nico a better chance at coming back safely. You too of course." Hestia presses.  
"Fine. I'll attempt to sleep before I go." I say.  
"Just how tired are you?" Hera asks concerned.  
"Very, Lady Hera. I can feel it. It makes me want to yawn. The whole entire process the minor gods made him go through and the cleansing and the no sleep thing makes him this way." Nico informs her.  
"Why haven't you said anything?" Hestia asks.  
I shrug. "I'm used to being tired a lot. It's not a problem for me. I just don't let it bother me."  
"That's not healthy." Apollo scolds.  
"Yet you can do nothing about it." I snap. "Sorry. My wolf side makes me moody when it's tired." I yawn. "It is very insistent I sleep more often, but likes the way I do things for guarding others. So it normally doesn't complain. It's funny."  
"Can't you 'officially' drink in a year?" Nicoasks, using quotations.  
I just stare at him. "Dude, I don't drink. And I can already do that agewise if I wanted to. I don't. The closest thing I've had isprobably Red Bull."  
"Oh, that crap makes us hyper. Like, destroy a monster army hyper." Nico makes a gaging motion in disgust.  
"So, make all of you and the demigods drink Red Bull before the battle?" Ares asks.  
"NO!" Artemis, Nico, and I shout at him immediately. "Absolutely not!" I continue. "Holy Hephestus! I wouldn't shut up for the next five hours about the most random of things. I was vibrating and shaking with so much energy nothing could calm me down. The twitching is worse. Of course my ADHD is one of the worse of demigods. But when Phoebe got it, she couldn't sleep, and then she was cranky. Cranky Phoebe is not a happy Phoebe. It means very bad things." I say.  
Ares just looks at us. "There's more than just the littering rule that comes into effect about no pop. Pop is a serious stimulant." Nico says. "No Red Bull."  
"Perseus, you should at least try wine." Dionysus urges me.  
"I don't know." I say unsure.  
"It's fine Persues. Just don't drink a whole lot of it." Artemis giggles.  
"There's a reason I don't drink." I tell her and avert my gaze.  
"But you're nothing like him Percy." Artemis says, I can hear the frown in her voice.  
"I could be." I whisper.  
"No way. You are too kind." Artemis argues.  
I nod, not wanting to say anything.  
"I know something the Fates didn't tell you that might interest you Artemis." I change the subject.  
Her face lights up. "Like what?"  
"My Roman aspect is named Moonlace." I chuckle.  
She giggles and smiles brightly. "That's great."  
"I'd love to see the reactions of the campers. They are aware of me, but they do not know who I am." I tell her.  
"We need to introduce you soon." Zeus says.  
"Of course. But it might need to be after. I will do my best to return as soon as possible. I hope I do not get delayed." I muse.  
"You won't be delayed." Nico says.  
"I hope not. But I swear on my life I will make you regret it if you get captured." I look at him pointedly. He nods and mock salutes. "Idiot child." I mutter.  
"Hey!" Nico yells indignantly.  
"Oh be quiet. You are lucky I let you go, or unlucky. Whichever helps you wake up in the morning. Gah. I shouldn't be letting you go. I am an imbecile." I rub my head.  
"I can agree with that." Artemis laughs and Nico smirks.  
I shrug. "I know. I realize I might have scared some of the Hunters with my, um...nonexistent awareness of my unfeeling actions at some points in time." I look at the floor and scrutinize it.  
Artemis laughs and Nico looks annoyed it didn't bother me. "Yes, you did." She tells me.  
"Ah, Styx. I didn't mean to." I say.  
"Are you blushing?" Hera asks.  
"I might be. I'm not used to it. Stop looking at me!" I say.  
"This is going to be fun. You haven't felt certain emotions around us for years." Artemis giggles. "Are you embarrassed?" She asks surprised.  
"No! I'm just blushing. It's not right. I don't feel anything, but now you're just making it worse." I sink into my throne.  
"It looks adorable because of your pale skin." Hestia says.  
I huff. "It's not funny."  
"I wonder if it's three years worth of no blood rushing to your cheeks happening now." Apollo muses.  
"Oh that's wonderful. What happens when curiosity comes into the equation?" I snap.  
"I'd be more worried about the happiness." Nico says.  
"Please don't say that. I don't want to be that happy." I sink further into my throne.  
"I was just pointing out it might be worth worrying about." Nico tells me.  
"You are still gold." Artemis laughs.  
"Artemis." I whine.  
"I think you are embarrassed and you just forgot what it feels like after three years." Athena chimes in.  
"Shut up. I can't control it and I'm not embarrassed." I tell her.  
"Are you angry?" Athena inquires.  
"No, I am annoyed." I say.  
"Then why are you slouching into your throne?" Hera asks.  
"Because of the blushing!" I throw my hands up in the air.  
"I'm so following you around to get your emotion episodes." Hermes says as he points a camera at me.  
"Oh, so you want to see me be hyper happy, grievingly sad, and a bunch of other bull crap down in Tartarus?" I inquire.  
"Crap." Nico mutters.  
"Want to change your mind?" I ask hopefully.  
"No. I'm still coming." Nico confirms.  
I sigh. "Maybe I should stick you in the realm until I get back."  
He looks horrified. "You wouldn't."  
"I would, but I am not going to. Stupid emotions." I say.  
"Hey, they are good things." Hestia scolds.  
"I just hope I don't start experiencing any of them down in that place. Just in time too, figures. Bunch of killjoys down there. Well, I'm bringing the party. Party o' death." I say.  
"You seem more...alive than usual." Demeter comments.  
I sigh. "Probably." I admit.  
"But you aren't the same as before." Ares adds.  
I shake my head. "No, I am not the same but yet I am."  
"What does that mean?" Zeus asks.  
"You saw me as that happy go lucky and hyper kid running around. But...that is not who I am and I have never been that way. My life has been an act." I whisper.  
"Since when?" Hephaestus rumbles.  
I sigh. "When I realized I was completely and absolutely different from every single thing around me. It was a protective shell to keep myself safe."  
"And you didn't think to tell us that sooner?" Apollo smiles knowingly.  
"Two of you already knew due to your domains, but only one of you looked before I was taken. I assumed the one would have told you by now. I was not interested in revealing anything about myself that was unnecessary. Besides, it's not like it matters now." I shrug.  
"I am glad you've decided to keep those walls down." Artemis grins.  
"I am unable to lie to you and I suppose keeping them up would be lying to you all the time. It is time I tear them down anyway."I smile over at her.  
"You should go get your rest dear." Hera tells me.  
"There are many things that must be taken care of while I am gone." I rub a hand over my face.  
"I will make sure that those children of mine are properly dealt with. The campers will be trained, do not worry about it." Areswaves his hand.  
"I appreciate that." I smile at him.  
"Though...I am not as creative in punishments as you are." Ares chuckles.  
I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Don't blame my past experiences for my torturous imagination." I mutter.  
"Well, you stopped blushing." Artemis giggles.  
"Yeah." I say in a bored tone. I look at Zeus.  
"Meeting adjourned." Zeus says.  
Everyone comes over and wishes me good luck, tells me to be safe, and crushes me to death in hugs.  
Artemis grabs my hand and I look over at her. She is in her fourteen year old form like I am. I smile warmly at her and kiss her cheek, but she surprises me by turning it into a real kiss. It lasts until neither one of us can breathe and we pull away.  
I kiss her nose as my breathing returns to normal. "I'll be fine."  
"You better be. But you are sleeping right now." She tells me.  
I wrap an arm around her waist as we walk out of the throne room and towards her shrine. "I'm sure Nico will make sure I am safe even though it will annoy me to death." I chuckle at the huff that comes from behind me. Nico is trying to give us space as we walk.  
"I'm glad." She grins and leans into me.  
"I know you are. Just stay safe with Delilah and Asale while I am gone. Please, I could not live without you." My hold on her brings her closer to me.  
She looks into my eyes and places a soft peck on my lips. "Nor I you."  
"I see you are adjusting to..." I sigh.  
"Love? Yes, it is quite nice to finally be with my Guardian." She lays her head on my shoulder as we walk into the shrine.  
I chuckle. "I never thought I would be like this."  
She looks up at me questioningly and I guide her though into our realm. "How do you mean?"  
"Being like this, loving someone as dear as you, living this far and with so many...events in my life. I am content now and I know that the feeling will only grow as time moves on." I tell her.  
We walk I silence as she lets that sink in. We enter the Valley of the Hunt and stroll down the hill at a leisurely pace.  
"Are you happy that you will be my..." Artemis trails off.  
"Lover?" I suggest and laugh softly as she blushes golden. "No." She looks hurt and we jerk to a stop. "I am far past happy. There are...no words...to express the depth of emotions I feel at being the object of your love and you mine."  
Her eyes and face light up. "Really?"  
I take in her reaction and smile kindly. "Yes. I am not happy but ecstatic. You use the most simple words for something I need to tell you in a more detailed way. But I know not the words to use. So, I am far past just being happy."  
"You don't act like it." She pouts.  
I grin. "Do I now?" She gives me a suspicious look.  
"What are yo-" She squeaks as I lift her up into my arms and start to stride towards the home where the Hunt stays.  
I shift into my seventeen year old form and she follows by changing into her sixteen year old one. I walk straight into the home and to my room. I pin her on the bed. "Should I show you how happy I am?"  
She just looks at me. I kiss her fiercely and she responds immediately. The kiss deepens considerably and she pulls away breathless. "Percy-"  
I cut her off. "No, we will not do that." I tell her and she nods as she pulls my lips back to hers.  
How long we continue like that is lost on me but she doesn't want to end when I finally pull away from her. "I've never felt like this before. It's hard to stop after so long." Artemis breathes.  
I chuckle and plant a kiss on her forehead. I roll over to lay down beside her. "I can say the same. But you waited far longer than I did."  
She rolls to lay on top of me, her feet in the air. She kicks them back and forth. "How happy are you exactly?"  
I wrap my arms around her. "Far happier than I can act all the time. I'm still trying to get used to feeling again. Maybe once everything settled within me I will be able to properly show you all the time how happy I truly am."  
She grins. "Just hurry. Our wedding is in a week or two. I've still got to announce the new Olympian and my beloved to the campers and the rest of the mythological world."  
I chuckle. "I need sleep my Moon if I am to hurry. You're distracting me greatly. I doubt I'll even be able to sleep."  
She grins and kisses me again. She sighs into it and I make us roll onto our sides. She laughs. "Am I trapped here now?"  
"Yes. You aren't leaving now that you are here." I whisper into her ear and she shivers. I laugh breathlessly and pull the covers over us.  
We both shift back into our fourteen year old forms. I fall asleep looking at her loving face and my hold on her doesn't slacken. 


	30. Chapter 30

Point of view: Perseus Jackson I hear someone clear their throat and immediately recognize Nico's voice.  
My eye flutter open to find that the entire Hunt and Nico, arms crossed and smirking, are giggling and laughing quietly so as not to wake up Artemis. I roll my eyes and look down at my wife-to-be. She is really close to me and I notice she wears a smile in her sleep. Her hands are balled in my shirt in her tight little fists. I laugh under my breath softly and gently pry her fingers loose without waking her. I lightly leap off of the bed without jostling it and tuck her in. I know it is only early in the morning, as we fell asleep early in the night. I kiss her forehead and whisper, "I'll be back before you know it. Stay safe, my Moon." Artemis snuggles into the blankets and a soft smile graces my lips. I lead everyone out and into the family room. We all sit down. The giggles turn into huge fits of laughter and Nico is rolling on the floor. I chuckle at them and after a little while, they all settle down and give me expectant looks.  
"So, you're leaving with Nico?" Phoebe asks sadly.  
"And going down to that plae?" Thalia growls.  
I smile kindly and sit in between my two favorite sisters. I wrap my arms around them. "I'm only going beause I'm the only one able to do it. Nico is just being a stubborn child. I am doing it because I love you all. If this will help us all come out alive then I am doing it."  
"And what if your mind can't handle it?" Phoebe whispers.  
"I'm a solid will now. I am not so weak as to be bothered by the horrors lurking those barren plains. I will be absolutely fine. I will bar the worst of the horrors from my Guardian's mind as much as I can to spare him." I kiss her cheek.  
"Be careful, please. We don't want to lose a brother." Jade bounds over and onto my lap.  
I look into her eyes. "You know as well as I do that you will never lose me."  
She grins. "I'll hold you to that you know."  
I boom with laughter. "Good. I'll need a good kick in my hind end sometimes. I'm hoping you'll keep me straight."  
Everybody giggles and Nico gives me this look. I nod and set Jade on her feet on the ground. I hug every last one of them. "Nico, say your goodbye to Thalia before we go. I will meet you at the border of the valley." I tell him.  
Nico nods and goes off with Thalia. I head back to my room and peer in to see Artemis in much the same position as she was, but on her side instead of her back. I sit down next to her. I sigh and lay my hand on her cheek, rubbing my thumb across her cheekbone. Her hand dazily comes up to hold mine, still sleeping. I laugh. Cute, my Moon. Very cute. I think. I watch her face for the longest time until I kiss her cheek and slip my hand out from hers. I close the door behind me without any noise and soundlessly exit my place.  
I meet Nico at the border and he speaks, "Underworld first, right?"  
I nod seriously. "Yes. I am going to place protection on your father's realm. We shall seehow much it will help."  
Nico grabs my arm. "What is my magic?" I smile at him. "It seems you are healing and shielding are a very good combination to have."  
Nico's mouth drops open and he snaps it closed instantly. "How do I use it?"  
"That, my friend, depends entirely on you." I pat his shoulder.  
"How do you use yours?" Nico inquires.  
I look up as I think about it. "Well, now I can pull it from my heart and soul whereas before I just pulled it from my loyalty. That's probably why it was so chaotic and hard to control. I didn't have al of my soul and my heart was missing vital emotions."  
Nico nods. "Am I the same?" He asks unsure.  
I draw my dagger. "There's one way to find out." I tell him and slice a line down my left forearm.  
Nico gasps and immediately grabs my arm. I let him concentrate on it and it takes him a good solid five minutes of trying several different things for him to heal my arm and restore my blood. When he opens his eyes, he glares at me and I grin at him.  
"Seriously?! That wasn't smart!" Nico exclaims.  
I sheathe my dagger and roll my eyes. "Stop whining. That was a mere prick in the finger. How'd you use your magic?"  
Nico looks thoughtful. "Uh...I influenced the abilities with love and they worked."  
I smile kindly at him. "Often, it takes love to heal and protect someone. It is a good way to use your magic, it makes it all the stronger."  
Nico smiles brightly. "Underworld here we come."  
I chuckle lowly and shake my head. I place a hand on his shoulder and flash us onto the shores of the Styx. 


	31. Chapter 31

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Here we are." I mutter.  
Nico looks at me worriedly. "You okay?"  
I look at him. "Yes, I'm just remembering the days before the Titan War's final battle."  
He nods knowingly. "I'm still sorry about that by the way." He smiles sheepishly.  
"You had a right to know about your mother. I am no longer upset about it." I tell him and he smiles gratefully at me now.  
"Thanks." He says.  
I look around and judge how much of the Underworld I should shield from the enemy. "Oh boy."  
Nico raises an eyebrow. "What?"  
"I have an idea." I loo at him seriously.  
"What is it?" He asks, getting down to business.  
"Your magic is also shielding, but you haven't used your magic all that much. You are going to place a shielding spell over your father's palace. I will handle the defense spells for the rest." I reply.  
Nico hews it over and nods slowly. "I can do that. So, is shielding a branch of defense magic?"  
I grin. "Precisely. I can do more than just shield things from harm. Yours is purely a blocking specialty. It would helpif you needed to heal someone while being attacked."  
"That's good to know." Nico says.  
"Get going and stay hidden. Annabeth or someone might be lurking. I will expel them quickly if they are here. Now go." I tell him.  
Nico takes off, drawing shadows to him and blinking out of everything's sight but mine. I move forward a few paces and sit on the black sandy shores of the Styx. I search through the Underworld for any unwelcome presences and find none. I sweep it again just in case. Then I focus on placing layers upon layers of shielding, protection, warding, and defense spells around the whole entire Underworld. I block all entrances into and out of it unless I myself want to get through. I also place an extra defense spell or two around Nico's shielding spells. Nico runs back and helps me stand. "I erected five layers of shielding magic around the palace and whoa..." The feeling of my magic in the atmosphere makes he look around in amazement, though everything looks the same. "Your magic is so cool."  
I boom with laughter. "Thank you. But I am afraid we must now continue our journey and plunge into the depths."  
Nico's face hardens and we make our way towards the precipice. I lay a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, Nico." I begin.  
"What is it Perce?" He asks as stale wind blows at our forms and swirls his curly hair, ruffling our cloaks and making them billow behind us. "When it comes time to figure out what the foreboding energy is, I do not want you anywhere near it." I tell him.  
He looks at my face and then into my eyes. "I can't do that." He shakes his head. "I won't let you face it alone."  
"Old friend. There must come a time when you realize you cannot be there for me every moment of our lives." I say and look down at the pitch black, inky darkness.  
"Which is what you are trying to do now." Nico counters.  
"No, I am merely trying to spare you from something you don't even need to do. I wasn't there for the past three years andneither were you." I squeeze his shoulder.  
"I wasn't there for longer. If I was at camp with you, I could have helped you. Stopped the campers and put Annabeth's plan in a setback. We could have figured out her true purposes." Nico argues.  
"But I wasn't there for you long before that even though I so badly wanted to be. I knew you wanted to be alone. You needed to grieve for your sister and get that hate and anger out of your system. Nico, I should be doing this alone. I may have higher goals but I still have that pent up rage inside. I don't want you anywhere near it when I let it loose. In Tartarus, I can let it seep into the atmosphere and poison him. I want to give you the life I took away from you when I lst your sister, when I let her go." "Bianca made her own decision, just like you said. She knew you were important and she knew you were always going to be the one who was needed. You're wrong. You were always trying to be there for me and I shrugged you off. I want to repay you for your kindnes and I'm never leaving your side again. Not when I can help you and prevent horrible things fom happening. I think it will make my sister proud and I hope she somehow knows I have finally let go of that deep seed of hatred, that my petty grudge against the both of us is gone, and that I am accepting my role as an actual person of this world."  
"She was and always will be proud of you. I bet even in her new life she remembers the name Nico di Angelo, but...as God ofRebirth, I do not think she is reborn yet. She awaits for her soul to be born again." I tell him.  
Nico looks at me. "Is she alright?"  
"She's absolutely fine. A lot of souls who have chosen rebirth are being cycled in. She's just waiting her turn." I tell him gently.  
"Does she still remember me?" He whispers sadly.  
"She could never forget such an important individual, not to mention someone she truly loved and cared for in her life. You will always be with her." I tell him and he looks at me, his eyes are wet.  
I touch his heart. "Children of the Underworld always have the fatal flaw to hold grudges, but that's only because they have so much love in their hearts. Your magic defines the very depths your love reaches. It is because of you Hades regained his heart and came to his family's defense. Bianca knew this and she was much like you. She lives inside you. It's why your father lookssad every time he sees you. You are so much like your sister he can't bear the pain in his heart, but he loves you so much he can't stay away. As a child of Hades, your love has the power to change the course of fate. People only hold grudges over things they love. You loved Bianca and when she died it tore you apart because you are a caring and kind person. People only see Hades and his bloodline as frightening beause of his domain, but once you get to know them," I hold out my free hand and a shining orb of bright starlight appears in my hand, "They are some of the brightest souls in the universe." I let the llight flicker out and Nico's tears have spilt over and flow down his cheeks.  
"What about greed? Don't people hold grudges over that sort of thing?" He whispers in a choking voice.  
I smile at him. "Only those who are evil hold grudges for that kind of reason and you are far from it. Nico di Angelo, there is no soul purer than yours other than mine. It is why you are my Guardian, why I met you, why you are my friend, and why you were born to Hades. It's why you and Bianca were in that hotel, why you are loving and caring and kind. You are one of the greatest presences of purity and it never lessens. Your grudges are out of the good of your heart and that's why it is so hard for you tolet them go. There is no one else I would rather have to be my Guardian."  
Nico crushes me in a hug and lets his silent tears out. I put my arms around him gently and rub his back until he is able to pull himself together, which takes a little while. "Thank you." He mumbles into my shoulder.  
I laugh slightly. "My pleasure, friend."  
Nico pulls back and wipes his eyes. He turns toward the seemingly bottomless black hole. "You know..." Nico starts.  
"I know. It's completely stupid to willingly jump into Tartarus." I agree.  
"Huh. You read my mind." Nico chukles nervously.  
"It's not too late for you to back out." I say.  
"Oh well, guess you're stuck with me. Let's just walk into nothingness and end up in red plains. Please nothing grab my foot."Nico mutters.  
I grab his arm before he can step out and fall clear down to Tartarus. "You ready? Because the landing part will be the hardest. We fall together, I don't want Tartarus separating us just before we hit."  
"Ooo. Did not think about the landing part." Nico says and brings his foot back from over the chasm. "I'll just...um...how do we...?" Nico huffs and blushes as he looks away.  
"I told you before I wasn't bothered by your past feelings and you have Thalia now." I roll my eyes. "I will take care of landing safely, as for the rest, well, hold on."  
I laugh at his horrified expression as I grab onto his other arm and jump over the edge, pulling him with me.  
"You're absolutely freaking insane!" He screams and grips my arms like his life depends on it.  
"Did you just figure that out?!" I yell over the wind howling in our ears.  
"Don't start with me you idiot!"  
"Who said I was starting anything other than our descent into the Pit?!" I laugh a laugh full of mirth.  
"I think your 14 year old side is starting to kick in!" He smirks.  
I stick my tongue out at him. "I blame the happiness bursting in my chest. Just let it happen Nico."  
Nico and I laugh as we fall further. After a while, when I have calmed down, he speaks up, "Any idea where we are going to land?" I shake my head. "No. When someone falls into Tartarus from any entrane other than dying, the landing changes contstantly until you break through the main atmosphere. There's not much I can tell you until we get past that."  
He nods. "That really sicks Percy."  
I chuckle. "I know."  
"How much longer?" Nico asks impatiently.  
"Well, we entered through the Underworld, so it's closer to the foundation of Tartarus than the surface world is. Unless we land in the deepest parts of the Pit, not too much longer. If it takes any longer than a few more hours, we're screwed and we will definitely land in the worst parts th Pit has to offer. You really don't want to go there, though we might have to to find our targets anyway." I tell him.  
"This is going just great." He rolls his eyes.  
I smile. "Someone is at ease with nicer sarcasm than before."  
Nico sticks his tongue out at me. "Shut up."  
"You wish." I laugh with him.  
Point of view: Artemis I wake up to soft, silvery light. I sit bolt upright and look around the rom. It's Percy's room. I find that the bed is empty exept for me and Percy had taken the time to put me in bed without bothering me. I get out of bed and walk into the kitchen. I find Phoebe talking with Thalia and they both look at me as I enter the room. They run up to me without delay.  
"How long ago did he and his Guardian leave?" I ask.  
"You've been asleep for the longest time. He left quite a while ago." Phoebe admits.  
"How long?" I ask in a strained voice.  
"Around nine hours ago is when he left. But we know he didn't depart from the surface world for another hour after that." Thalia sighs. "So they've already been down there for a very long time to begin with, depending on how long they spent in just the Underworld." I say tiredly.  
"Yeah." Phoebe looks at the ground.  
"They are probably still falling at this point. I wouldn't worry just yet. Percy says it takes a while before you get to Tartarus. I don't know how much closer it would make it when they enter from the Underworld, but it would be long enough to where I betthey haven't even encountered an enemy yet. Don't worry sister, they will be perfectly fine. Especially with Percy being who he is. He won't be hurt and neither will Nico." Thalia tries to cheer me up.  
I smile at the two huntresses. "So, what's on the agenda today?"  
Thalia looks at me brightly. "We wanted to show you what you didn't get to see about the Valley yet." "Come on! Zoe's in there! You can add everything you know about her!" Phoebe squeals in delight.  
The girls pull me along and out the door, the three of us chattering exitely to try and ease our minds, but none of us stop worrying about Percy and Nico.  
Point of view: Annabeth Chase I walk into the cave where we held my ex-boyfiend to meet with Gaea and Tartarus. I kneel before the two Primordials and they smile softly at me. "What news have you gathered on the boy?" Gaea asks sweetly.  
"He has been made a god, and an Olympian at that. The Hunt has become stronger, several of their heroes have been granted more power, and new immortals keep popping up. I do not understand." I answer her and tell her all of his domains and everything about his being a god.  
"Where is the boy now?" Tartarus asks, looking confused.  
"I am unsure. He and his wretched fiance walked into her shrine and never walked out. I can no longer sneak onto Olympus, my presence is too malevolent to go unnoticed any longer." I grumble.  
Gaea hisses. "Artemis will be given to Gration while Perseus is given to you. We will continue where we left off with him on his last visit when we get our hands on him. He will beg for mercy. I have already thought up some new lessons for him to learn."  
Tartarus growls hungrily. "His blood was always so delicious. Especially in that last century. I enjoyed drinking it by the gallon." He bares his teeth.  
"The Realm of the Moon." The Master's voice sounds around the chamber in the cave.  
"What is that?" I ask in disgust.  
"It is a place where those of the moon may dwell and no one else unless invited in. The oaths and bonds and loyalty tied to it are unbreakable. But the child is no longer there. He is entering Tartarus as we speak and he brings with him his own Guardian." His voice echoes.  
"I wondered why there was an unfamiliar presence hurtling toward me." Tartarus murmurs.  
"Find him!" Gaea looks at me.  
"Leave that to me. I will see to it my grandson is properly taken care of." Kronos says from the corner.  
"Bring them both alive." Gaea commands and Kronos walks out.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Nico! Hang on." I tell him and my eyes glow white as I use moonlight to cushion our fall. We end up making a huge crater and smoke billows from it. Nico jumps off of me and helps me up. "Awesome. We looked like a shooting star arching for the ground." Nico says excitedly.  
I become aware of everything in an instant. "Kronos draws near. Quickly, Nico, we must hurry." I push him out of the crater and I climb out after him. We run for a long time before I pull him behind an outcropping of rocks.  
Nico breathes a lot heavier than I do, but he is still breathing easier than most. His lungs are not used to this air. "Gods, this sucks. I forgot how suffoating these fumes really were." His chest heaves. "Why arent you effected? You've been gone for a little while."  
I glance at him before returning my ever watchful gaze back to the red plains I hate so much and with a great deal of passion. "A guy gets permanently used to toxic fumes at their worst when spending an entire millennia inhaling them every second. I won't ever be rid of this. It is a part of me whether I like it or not."  
"But the well should have cleansed it from your soul, right?" Nico whispers as he starts to follow my lead and searches with me.  
"No, the well only cleanses the taint from your soul." I answer and he looks at me for more. "It looks at this little...skill as a survival thing. It left it alone in case I would ever face anything like it again. It viewed it as a need to have acquirement and so I am to stay used to this atmosphere forever."  
Nico nods. "Awesome."  
I shrug. "If you think it is." Then something occurs to me, I still need to open his senses all the way. "Nico, I need to finish your Guardian training." I infrom him.  
"How? Why now? Aren't we a little pressed for time?" He asks.  
I place my hand on his right shoulder and let moonlight touch his tattoos. He lights up just like I did and I shroud the explosion of light from sight of prying eyes. He looks at me in shock. "Hurry up and settle into it. I'm sorry Tartarus is the place where great detail is upon you, but you're going to need it for what I have in mind."  
He nods distractedly and it takes him a little while before he focuses in on me. "What's the plan?"  
"We need to split up to cover more ground." I explain simply.  
"Right, which way do I go? What do I look for?" Nico asks grudgingly.  
"Look, I am going to go after this...thing and try to find out what it is. You are going to find out everything else. The numbers of the monster army, gauge the strength of the Titans, Giants, Primordials, and Annabeth. Find any and all routes from Tartarus to the surface world or the Underworld and shield them immediately. Once all that is done, come find me and we will reinfoorce the exits and make a run for it." I give him the details.  
"How do we escape if we block evreything off? We can't just climb out, it's impossible. The Doors of Death aren't in Tartarus anymore and they are not going to hold still for some idiot monster to press a button." Nico argues.  
"There is only one way for us to return to the world above." I say quietly.  
Nico waits for me to speak and when I don't, he urges me to. "Well? How do we get back?"  
I take a deep, shuddering breath. "I have to use my blood to get us back up there and it's a very dangerous spell for my talents."  
"You're the God of Night. Can't we just go to Nyx's Mansion and you use something there to get us back?" Nico immediately disagrees.  
"No, Nyx would capture us and hand us over to Annabeth. If we were to enter the Mansion of Night, we would walk out in chains. We wouldn't even be able to make it there anyways. It's too deep into Tartarus. We aren't going that deep. I an sense they are not too much farther into Tartarus. They still dwell in the cave that was my home for a millennium before Athena rescued me. The evil presence however, he is concentrated a few levels above, slowly creeping out to better influence the armies and monsters with. When I say dangerous Nico, I mean it could teleport us anywhere in the wrold above, make us sick for a week or two, and/or poissibly give us amnesia for a little bit unless Hera restored our memories. It's not that bad. A mortal would be extremely lost, but we would be fine. Relax. We need to hurry. The presence already knows we are here and it won't stop until we are captured. I am placing a spell on you so he cannot find you." I tell him and put a special defense spell around him that will keep him safe.  
"Percy..." Nico starts.  
I smirk and hug him. "I will be fine. Hurry, we only have so much time. Stay hidden, just because he can't feel you, doesn't mean he can't see you. Stay hidden." I whisper and hug him closer.  
"What about you?" He asks concerned.  
"I have Artemis's blessing, I'm her Guardian, and I'm also a god of the same domain. I know how to stay hidden, not to mention use my magic to help myself. Go. Now." I shove him out of the secluded area and follow right behind him. He takes off with one last glance at me and I head for the cave I hate so much and never want to see again.  
I enter the cave and make my way into the holding area, no one. I check several different chambers, not a single soul. I head into the cell block area where only I was kept, but there is still nobody home. Yet, I sense the presences of my main torturers inside the cave. The Giants are all here somewhere, the male Titans exept for Atlas, Tartarus, Gaea, and Annabeth, but I can't find them. Kronos seems to be moving around the most from what I can tell.  
I try searching for a place I've never seen and hit the jackpot. I creep down the stone staircase, only for my feet to get stuck in place and the earth creep up my legs, hardening all around up to just past my knees. I feel a cold blade press up against the side of my neck and right beneath my chin.  
"Look what we have here. An old playmate come back for more fun." Annabeth giggles coldly but sweetly in my ear.  
I focus starlight into the earth confining me and keep it in a thin layer surrounding my body once I break free. Annabeth's Celestial Bronze dagger shatters and she gasps as she fall back. I pick her up by her throat and she struggles in my grasp.  
Suddenly, my light flickers out and I inhale sharply as something pierces my left shoulder. I whirl around, dropping Annabeth, and punch Tartarus square in the jaw as I fight to keep the starlight around me. Something clamps around my neck and pulls me backward. I kick Perses in the chest to keep him away from me as I fight off my atacker from behind. The collar making it increasingly harder to maintain my light. A disembodied, celestial voice cackles at my struggle. "Give it up boy, you cannot fight me and that collar off for long. You aren't strong enough. Your magic is the only thing keeping me somewhat at bay."  
I focus on what he said and increase the layers of my magic around me, my light starts to stay longer than before and the voice growls. It's hard, but I keep my magical forcefield around me while I fend off everything. The collar sends these weird feeling spiraling through me and I lose my conentration for just a split nano second before I come back to my senses.  
They back me up against a corner in some chamber, having fought be downwards on the staircase. I grip the collar in one hand while I now hold Riptide in my other one. I tug at it and that weird feeling vibrates through my body even stronger. They all smirk and I release my hold on the accessory. Instead, I reach down and unsheathe my dagger. I bring it up and under the collar, while they all watch curiously, and try to cut through it. I add both starlight and moonlight to the blade and attempt to free myself of this idiotic contraption. When it doesn't work my eyes widen and so do their smirks.  
"What is this thing made out of?" I hiss so harshly they all skitter backwards.  
That same voice booms with laughter. "That, my dear boy, is made out of Pit metal and is an instrument to which can't be undone without permission from Tartarus."  
I cough and my immortal Ichor splatters onto the floor and runs down my chin out of the corners of my mouth, my body starts to ache, and my insides heat up so far it's actually painful. The feelings the collar has been giving me.  
My eyes widen and the voice snickers. "Finally realize what's happening to you? Pit metal brings pain to those who wear it or suffer a scratch from it. Even your high pain tolerance will have trouble with this. They were just getting started with you when that wisdom goddess saved you. I'm going to make you mine and that requires so much pain to even suppress your bond to the moon goddes and everyone else. Imagine how much pain it will take to sever them completely. You came down here willingly, you poor thing."  
"Shut it. I don't need Tartarus's permission to rip this thing off of my neck. I'll worry about that later. I can handle the pain. I'm not yours and I never wil be. Who are you?" I snarl and cough again, more Ichor on the floor. The others stand a good distance away, afraid to come closer but smiling sadistically at me.  
There are too many of them in this crowdd space to attack me all at once and I have an arsenal of weapons. It doesn't matter what condition I am in, they know I will fight until someone manages to kill me. They won't come for me until I am incapacitated.  
"My name? I am known as Corruption, younger brother to Void. Do you at least know who that is? I was never written intohistory but I was never erased from the minds of those who still remember a time where I helped keep balance in the world." The voice sounds interested and amused, a light tone coloring his voice.  
"Void? The universe was created from Chaos and Chaos sprung from nothingness, the void. You mean to tell me, that the void is actually a deity? And that he is the father of the Creator of the Universe?" I ask.  
"Looks like someone isn't as dull as they let on. Marvelous. I knew you were perfect when I felt you come into being. Normally, when a new life comes into the world, it is my job to corrupt it with its natural darkness, but you, not even my brother or his son could help me corrupt you. Oh how perfect and light your soul is. So much purity and innocence, it makes me sick. The beauty of your soul is so tantalizing to things around you, it's no wonder everybody loves you whether they admit it or not. Tell me, how do you feel about knowing that the void is actually a living, breathing person and he is silently watching over the universe. Your soul, however, has caught even his gaze. He watches you with curiosity. Even when you came out broken, your light still burned so brightly that I not touch you even then in your weakest moment. It is back to its original glory and it continues to grow, not even bothered by the fact you are in my presence or deep in the Pit." He says.  
"Void. It sounds...familiar. Have I...have I read it somewhere before?" I mutter to myself while keeping tabs on the others.  
"Oh my, looks like my brother has been naughty." The voice sounds surprised at first and then angry.  
"What are you talking about?" I ask confused.  
He tsks and a shadowy form of a man appears in front of me and solidifies a little. His hand comes up and softly brushes my cheek. I can't move. My eyes widen and the weapons drop from my hands. I realize he has frozen time and not even Kronoscan move. Corruption pushes me against the wall and grins at my helpless state. My hand reluctantly comes up to push his arm away, but I strain to do even that. He frowns. "So pure." He whispers.  
"What are you doing?" I ask.  
He smiles viciously. "You see, I didn't realize before that my elder brother marked you."  
"Marked me how?" I inquire as I try to fight him off.  
"I suppose he did it at birth. You are the only soul ever to be so pure. No one even omes close to your leve and no one ever has. I bet Void even asked Ananke herself if there would be another soul like you and how much do you want to bet her answer was no?" He purrs.  
"What are you talking about?" I'm worried now, but I don't let it show.  
"Oh, it is very hard to miss, this mark. Void has claimed you as a special little being. You are in a class all of your own. Your power excedes that of even the oldest of beings, including Void and I. Since the dawn of time, Void has been the strongest being to ever exist. Then me, then Chaos, the younger Primordials, the Titans, and then the gods. Demigods are more powerful than mortals but are also more vulnerable, but you...You are stronger than Void and I put together. How this is possible I am unsure and Void marked you for it. Oh how very badly I want you as my own to command. But alas, I cannot touch you without my power being drained immensely. This is fine, but if I use my power against you, I start to weaken." He looks me over like I'm his plaything.  
"But that doesn't answer my question." I shake my head, I have stopped fighting against him now.  
"The mark, it makes sure the Fates know not to tamper with you in any way. Ananke cannot even spin your thread. You cameinto being of your own accord, much like Void did and it will never happen again. Messing with you much further than just being your enemy has serious consequences and I'd prefer to stay in existence mind you." He rubs his thumb over my cheek. Why is my body shutting down? I cannot move.  
"I was born. I didn't just...come into existence of my own free will. It doesn't make sense." I argue with him.  
"Hard to believe I know, but in time you will learn to accept the fact that...you aren't who you think you are. Join me, let Tartarus sever your bonds and I will show you how much has been hidden from you." He says gently.  
My body, I can't even feel the tips of my fingers, my eyes won't move from his face, and something deep down inside of me is screaming at me not to listen to Corruption. My eyes narrow and he grins. "You're lying. What in the name of Olympus are you trying to force into my head?!" My Brand glows and he staggers back. I pick up my weapons. "I want the truth. Who are you and wh do you want to kill the gods?" I advance on him, my animalistic growl menacing.  
"Most of what I told you has been the truth." Corruption tells me and I stop stalking toward him, five feet of space between us.  
"How much?" I snarl. He smirks. "I wasn't lying about who I am and who my family is. Nor was I lying about Void marking you as a newborn infant. That is about everything that is truthful. What gave me away?" "The way you spoke about me and a feeling. What does the mark mean? Tell me!" I demand.  
Corruption chuckles darkly. "I have no idea what it means, but your lovely Olympian family can find out for you. For to be marked by Void, is a special occurence..." His voice trails off into nothingness just as his body had a few seconds before.  
"Damn you! What the hell am I?!" I punch the wall and it cracks up and into the ceiling.  
"Perce?" I jolt awake and blink as I take in my surroundings. Nico is shaking me and I look him in the eye. "Are you alright? You took the brunt of the landing when you used your starlight. You would have been fine if the Minotaur hadn't have taken a swipe at you. We landed in some kind of swamp. Perce?" Nico looks concerned.  
I look around and touh my neck, the collar is gone. Then I realize, it was just a nightmare and that voice echoes around the level of Tartarus we landed in...  
Oh no... 


	32. Chapter 32

Point of view: Perseus Jackson "Nico, we have to move now." I tell the dark haired boy forcefully.  
He nods hurriedly and helps me stand.  
But it's too late. I realize this as weapons fly at us and Nico's senses aren't as sharp as mine are yet. I switch places with him and the knives thud into me. From my shoulders to my wrists on my arms, knives imbed into my body. From my thighs to my ankles. "Percy!" Nico exclaims and rips them out so I can heal.  
"Get moving, now." I growl and he takes off.  
I do for him what Artemis did for me and let all of his senses sharpen after touching him with moonlight, but I use starlight as well.  
'You cannot escape me down here. I see you evaded my clever trap however. I did not expect you to be so intelligent. The stories of my minions proved wrong. You hid most of yourself away from them. Didin't you?' The voice cackles. 'Run. Run and hide from them, but you can't hide from me. Know that someday, I will have you kneeling at my feet, new god.'  
"He's wrong. I can hide you from him. He is weakened in my presence. Even though I was fored into my nightmare as we fell, I know that some aspects are real. He is messing with my head. Do not go near those deities, especially Annabeth. Their strength in that horror was real, that collar was real. Don't let your guard down. We need to hurr yup and shut off all exits. We can use the Styx to get back to the underworld. I can use it without either one of us getting hurt. Styx is under my domain and she will let us pass. I remember talking with her once when Annabeth was alseep my very first time here." I tell Nico as we zoom through Tartarus.  
We pick up the pace as Nico's lungs get used to the air and he gets used to his newfound attributes, his body finally settling into them.  
"How is he weakened in your presence?" Nico asks.  
"Apparently I am too pure. There is something Apollo taught me to listen for to know when a person is truly lying. Most of the time, that voice was lying. The only thing he was honest about was the fact he wants to turn me into one of his pawns and later his...chewtoy. His father marking me however, it is hard to discern what parts of that were the truth and what were the lies. Don't listen to anything he says." I tell him.  
"I knew you were pure. It's what was a little weird when I saw what the world was like after you got me out of that military school. Probably the real reason why I...yeah..." Nico trails off.  
I chuckle and place spells over us, cloaking us from everything. Including Corruption. "Right. You can say it you know. When all this crap blows over, I plan on relaxing just a tiny bit. In my own way. i am making sure no one dies for real. Annabeth can kiss my immortal ass."  
Nico laughs whole heartedly. "Awesome. Welcome to the club."  
"I am president of that club genius." I snarl playfully and he sticks his tongue out at me.  
"Is that one of the entrances we are looking for?" Nico points to a dark opening of a chasm.  
"No." I answer darkly. "That's the Mansion of Night. We will not tread there until this war is over." I tell him and we sprint past it without being detected in the slightest.  
"Got it. Great to know where it is." Nico mutters almost incoherently.  
After we run for a little while, I spot a small fiery red opening past the bend in the Plegethon in one of the rocky sides of the wall of an upward level. We stop and chant together to close it permanently until we both give the spell permission to break.  
We do this for what seems like hours, but I know it has been only a few days down here. It would seem like mere minutes to those we love up in the surface world. "how man more can there be?" Nico asks nobody in particular.  
"As many as have formed since Tartarus came into being. We are lucky we don't have to cover the ones up in the Underworld where your father rules." I reply anway.  
"That was kind of rhetorical Perce." Nico chuckles.  
"Then think of it as a rhetorical answer smart alec." I tell him and he rolls his eyes.  
I scan Tartarus as we run by branching out my senses. This one in our sight should be the last one, there is nothing we can do about the Mansion of Night. We will just have to be more watchful at dark. The time when the Guardians and Hunters are most powerful.  
"The last one." I say to Nico and he nods as we come to a halt in front of the purple opening. "I think it best if we secure this one like we did the tenth one. It is more evil and emits an ominous aura." We place several wards over it and I enchant it to be obscured from sight.  
"That does it for our mission. From what they told me in our dream, I have all we need. I can feel the size of their army. Let us hope our strength alone is enough." I turn to my Guardian.  
Nico nods thoughtfully. "Should we strike a blow while here. One that will hinder the army a little while longer?" "We have dealt several blows by closing off the exits and protecting the Underworld. The only other thing we could do is take out a few of the more powerful monsters that would take a very long time to reform, even with the help of Tartarus." I answer.  
"You mean snipe them from far away?" Nico asks uncertainly.  
"Exactly. You should be fine with a bow with my blessing. If not, you'll hit something. Try to be inconspicuous when you do it. Aim for different places at the very least." I clap him on the back and we take off for the enemy army.  
I perch on top of a boulder that has an overhang while Nico crouches at the base of it beneath me, his back against the boulder I am on. We both draw our bows and take aim at the more powerful baddies. "Fire at will, Guardian." I command and we both let loose the arrows, effectively killing two big monsters. The Lydian Drakon and the Clazmonian Sow. We do this until I order, "Stop, Nico. Hold."  
He lowers his bow. "I feel it too. What now?"  
"We have annihilated more than enough of the most troublesome monsters and the overgrown ones of the different draws near." I answer lowly and Nico joins me under the hanging as we watch the monsters look around for their attacker.  
'Come out you fools! Let me have you! How dare you attack now!' Corruption shrieks all around us.  
"Kronos and the others walk amongst the monsters looking for us. They have realized the magic I truly possess. They know I can make us invisible. They won't hesitate to strike at the slightest noise and they kill where they think they sense us. The arrow hold our presences on the ground. It will distract them long enough for us to make it to the Styx." I tell him and we wait for a passing monster to go by before running. Nico pulls to a stop wen we reach the Styx. I come back to him. "Well?" He asks and gestures at the river.  
I shake my head. "Not here. Further along. Closer to the Underworld. We do not need them to know the full extent of my power. We are clear in the very beginning of the depths of the Pit. Traveling to the world above from here would show them I would be too much trouble to deal with until weakened."  
He nods in understanding as we follow the winds of te river and get closer to the Underworld. 'I see you.' Corruption's voice growls.  
"LOTR much?" Nico grumbles under his breath and I chuckle.  
'Do not attempt to escape from the Pit. It is not so easily done.' "Who said it was hard?!" I yell in response and Nico and I kick it into high gear as we feel Kronos coming near.  
"Percy, I don't think we can fight off Kronos's power. Especially here." Nico huffs out as we dodge the high and dangerous rock spires we have to climb to get up to another level.  
"I know. But I can match his skill when he slows time. But if her freezes it completely, I don't want you taken as well. Not to mention Corruption will make things worse for you." I reply.  
'Continue as long as you want. You will eventuall ytire out. Shall I keep you company as you run and run and run. You won't lose Kronos. He is already closer than you think.'  
I jump onto Nico and we roll over each other, springing up to keep running. "That was too close." Nico tells me and we pour on th espeed.  
"You have no idea. That collar was destroying me from the inside. It might hurt you worse." I say and he pales a little.  
"Maybe it's a god thing I don't have an idea." Nico says.  
"I'm just surprised it didn't actualy affect my real body. It was so alarming. The thing draws so much of your attention, it demands it. It's almost as if it is a living thing. But I know it's not. That much is easy to tell about it. Tartarus has dangerous metals. Pit metal. I hope none of the monsters have any weapons made of that stuff. I doubt it." I muse.  
"Yeah. They wouldn't let that stuff fall into our hands. The bosses would have it if anything." Nico says as we rockclimb three levels. "I think after the war is over we should collect all of it and stow it away where only a select and trustable few know of its whereabouts."  
"Tartarus can make it, but I can tell it's taxing on him. Most likely because it is almost evil itself and causes so much agony." I reply.  
"Stop runnning you coward grandsons!" We hear Kronos's voice bellow from five levels below us.  
"How much farther?" Nico asks desparately.  
"We have to go, now. Any longer and Corruption will attempt to stop us himself. I want to kill him, but his form isn't exactly solid to where I can behead him or run him through. I have a bad feeling he is a lot more pwoerful than he is letting on." I tell him. I grab Nico's arm and pull us into the Styx. We wade into the middle and Styx appears smiling. "Hello Perseus. It is nice to see you again. Need help?" She asks sweetly.  
"Yes, please." I smile back at her warmly.  
"I notice you only really want my permission to use my waters, but may I ask one thing in return?" She answers kindly.  
"Anything." I answer surprised.  
"Protect my waters before you leave. And the waters of my sisters." Styx pleads with me.  
I kiss her cheek and place a magic warding over her waters and focus on doing the same to the other four rivers. "It will never be removed." I tell her and she hugs me.  
"Then you have my word that I will convince my sisters to help you in the war. We have been soiled by the monsters and Corruption for far too long. Stirring in our joined waters at the heart of this evil place. We will send unto you the purified monsters as reinforcements when you need them the most and grant you and your Order of Guardians one gift each. The day will come when this will happen. But with your efforts, it will not come for a very long time now. Years will pass before thishappens, but mark my words, it will happen and only you can stop it again. Save this world, Perseus Jackson, By the will of all those who need you and by the will of the first being in creation." She tells me and sinks into her waters.  
"What does that mean?" Nico asks me nervously.  
"No time. We're all out of it." I tell him and flash us out through the water of the River Styx. 


	33. Chapter 33

Point of view: Perseus Jackson I flash us clear into the throne room. Nico is thrown into the throne room doors and I get blasted through two columns before I hit into the wall behind Zeus's throne. I pick myself out of the huge hole in the wall and run over to Nico. He punches my arm. "Dude!" He exclaims.  
I pat his hand. "Corruption must have struck out at the last moment. I couldn't do anything other than throw your momentum at the floor, I got the worst. I'm vulnerable when I flash. Are you okay?" "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." Nico grunts as he sits up.  
I help him to his feet and heal the injuries he sustained from everything so far and then I heal mine. "Great." I start to fall backwards. Nico catches me and keeps me up. I retch up blood and cover my mouth. "I'm fine, what about you?" Nico asks.  
"Percy?" Artemis asks.  
I look over my shoulder and smile at her weakly. "It's fine, Artemis. I'll be fine. It's a reaction."  
Nico gives me this look and I throw up blood again, making a puddle on the floor. Artemis comes over and Nico keeps her away for me. "What's wrong?" Nico looks at me seriously.  
"The nightmare, I guess it did have affects on my real body. I just ignored them. I was zeroed in on the task at hand that I didn't realize it actually was affecting me. I'm missing half of most of my internal organs at the moment. I don't feel so hot." I tell him.  
"You look paler than usual." Nico agrees. "Ha ha." I cough as I try to laugh.  
He frowns and starts to lead me out of the throne room. A voice stops us, Zeus's voice. "Where are you going?" He asks.  
"He needs to rest. He will not be awake much longer. Besides, I don't think he should even be on his feet now at all." Nicoanswers and keeps going.  
"And the mission?" Athena asks curiously.  
"A success." I reply.  
"You don't have to worry as of right now. We will inform you later." Nico tells her.  
"How long were you down there?" Artemis asks.  
"Oh, just a few days. To you, it was only a few hours." I grin over my shoulder at her.  
Her eyes widen and then she scowls. "Why are you grinning?"  
"I made it back. I'm completely fine." I tell her.  
"You are so not fine." Nico says.  
Artemis looks at me worriedly. "How?"  
"Something I didn't expect and I wasn't prepared for. They never had it when I was down there. Pray they do not have it when they come." I say.  
She looks frightened. "Per-" She starts.  
"Later, Artemis." I cut her off. "I wil explain all later." I tell her.  
She looks offendd and I stop Nico. "Don't look at me like that." I try for a smile. "Everything is-" Nico turns me around and I start to hang off of him after more blood comes up.  
I hear Artemis catch her breath. "Apollo, help him." Artemis whispers.  
"No, no. I'll be fine. Nico can heal me once I lie down. I need sleep." I wave it off and nearly fall to the floor. I haven't felt soweak in a long while. The last time was when I healed one the the hunters from some immortal illness by taking it on myself. Great immune system, too bad half of mine is currently missing.  
It takes a little bit to get me through the Realm of the Moon and into the Valley of the Hunt, but we make it clear into my room. He sets me down slowly and I sigh. My legs giving out. Nico sits down next to me and places his hands on either side of my head, healing me slowly due to the unsusual regrowing process and it being his first time realy using his magic and powers on something so serious. Once he's done though, he pulls back and studies me. "You need to sleep." Nico tells me.  
"So do you." I reply absentmindedly.  
"Lay down and then I'll go to my room and crash." Nico says.  
I nod, out of it from thinking about everything and what Styx told us. I lay down and stare blankly at the ceiling. "Corruption." I close my eyes. "Hmph. Not today." I whisper and my head falls to the side as I drift into a dreamless sleep.  
Point of view: Nico di Angelo I know it when he'll be out like a light like that for awhile. There's no way he could take all of my magic and not at least want to sleep. He could fight it off sure, but he's also used a bunch of magic on his own, is constantly taking the hits on the enchantments we placed over the entrances and the Underworld itself, ran for days, experienced some weirdo nightmare and a contraption, something about different powers of Corruption that affected him throughout the entire thing, crashing into the ground of Tartarus, falling forever in that hole, keeping us safe enough when we got out, and flashing out of Tartarus takes a whole lot of pure energy. Not to mention he said he could do it from clear inside Tartarus. Plus he had me with him. The strain and caution he was under the entire time must be extra taxing. He always worried about me even when there was no need to worry. Also the memories that must have been going through his head throughouit his entire time down there. My own still haunt me.  
I stand and leave the room to find Thalia waiting outside the door. She peaks in and I can see the warm smile on her face. We walk to my room and sit down on my bed. "I forgot how he looked when we were fourteen together. It's nice seeing him that age again, comforting, welcoming, like home. Sure, we had most of our fights then, but it wasn't either of our faults. We'd just lost Annabeth and didn't know how to deal with getting you, you little rascal." Thalia ruffles my hair, I don't mind this time. I just let her reminisce. "Also, at the time, Zoe was still bugging me about Luke." She looks sad.  
"I think it's another reason he chose to be at the medium of us Guardians. He's trying to be as young as possible for the little ones and old enough to make the older ones think they aren't being bossed around by a little brat. Plus, he's around our age." I tell her.  
She grins. "I know. He's almost too thoughtful. So silly, and entirely adorable as a fourteen year old." Thalia giggles.  
"Adorable?" I ask incredulously.  
"Yeah, the bright sea green eyes, the crazy black hair in disarray, and the way he looks around in wonder. At least, that was what it was before. Now the bright sea green is more shiny and trying to hope for the best than actually doing it. His hair is still crazy at that age, but it's a little darker than I remember. And the looking around is in control and he more or less looks around warily and always for threats. But the way he does it is similar. He takes in everything still and makes due with some of the things he has to use." Thalia explains easily.  
"You thought he was adorable back then?" I raise an eyebrow.  
Thalia blushes a little bit. "Technically," Thalia now looks thoughtful, the blush fading. "I'm still the same age. I'm one year older just like I was those few years back. So I guess it's more of a sisterly view of adorable instead of the liking adorable. You know? Back then, he was the one who helped me out of that tree, and didn't care if I practically just came back to life, he moved past the shock, and he's a lot like me. As many people know. MAybe if things were different, Annabeth wouldn't have gotten with him and I might have. This Guardian stuff would be irrelevant. BUt I love you. Stop with the jealousy." She pokes my cheek.  
I stick my tongue out at her and sigh. "You're right." "Good. Glad you agree. Now, get some sleep." She points at the bed.  
I nod obediently and climb in as she leaves the room, shutting off the lights as she goes.  
Point of view: Artemis "Do you think he'll be okay?" I ask worriedly from my throne.  
"Honey, he'll be just fine. You heard him and Nico will care for him. He's in good hands. Why don't we all part ways until he andNico are ready to give us the details. He said not to worry for today, let us rest and reconvene on this tomorrow. Go to him." Hera says and we all flash out.  
I rush into his room, the lights still on, and see him sleeping soundly. I grin ans sit next to his vulnerable form. I always sneak in to watch him sleep at keep. Every once in awhile missing in case he had one of his rare nightmares over the years. After alittle bit, his face stopped being pained and more peaceful. Now I know he doesn't suffer from them, and he looks like when I first met him for real. The day I started to fall in love with a man and that man is now mine. I brush my fingertips over his exposed cheek. Warm. I smile and lay down next to him in my twelve year old form. He's always so warm and radiates it if you get close enough. She makes the lights go out as she crawls underneath the covers with him. She kisses his cheek and snuggles close to his warmth. She knows he'll inquire about it in the morning if he wakes up first, which he usually does, but right now, in this moment, she doesn't care and she just wants to spend time with him before everything goes down.  
I notice something on his wrist in the dark as my sight adjusts again. I examine it to find it is just a thread on his , I hold onto him in a way that says I'm never letting go and fall asleep.  
~The Next Morning~ I wake to the bed moving around. I blink sleepily to se Percy has this confused look on his face and is moving around in his sleep. I shake him and he sits up like an electro shock jolted through his spine. He looks around the room in panic an dthen looks down at me.  
"Are you okay?" I ask him concerned.  
Point of view: Perseus Jackson I nod and think back on what my dream was. Odd. It was just my first day in Tartarus, something that happens once every three or four months. Well, my first day on my second visit there with all the torture...yeah. I blink a few times to clear my sleep blurred vision. I cover my mouth and yawn.  
What Corruption said...if I had been there much longer and still hadn't broke, which I probably wouldn't have broke completely if I had lost all emotions by that point, then my torture would have become far worse. Before encountering the Pit Metal, Icouldn't see that happening. Sure, the new ways they found t torture me with what they had hurt more each time and ripped at me in all new ways when they experimented with the same torture in different areas, but I can't believe just how wrong I was at that time. I think back to what I overheard Tartarus and Kronos speaking about one day while Gaea talked with me.  
~Flashback~ "The boy needs to be punished further, not just this crap we've been using forever now. We need to step it up a little. C-" Kronos says.  
Gaea sticks another needle into my left and bleeding eye. I scream, but it is muffled by the leather restraint over my mouth. I lok straight up at the ceiling to avoid more pain than needed and so Gaea won't do anything else. "Shut up you fool!" Tartarus exclaims and it falls quiet for a few seconds. "Now, you know we can't take it any farther until we find out just how much he is spent." "Listen to him. Mother is enjoying his tortured cries." Kronos tells him fervently.  
As the last needle goes in my right eye, I scream again. Then Gaea brings over something that sloshes around, a liquid then. My already absent stomach seems to twist into a know and then become a pit. I realize what she is most likely holding. She pours it onto my eyes and the next scream is painful all in itself. Lemon juice. ~Flashback End~ I'm shaken out of my flashback by my Moon and smile at her a little bit. So, Kronos almost slipped that day and said Corruption. Tartarus was being wary even then. Can Corruption truly be afraid of me? How far gone was I at that point? That was somewhere around 500 years into being dragged there against my unknowing will.  
Artemis waves a hand in front of my eyes and I catch it automatically. I start fiddling with her hand and tracing patterns into it. She watches my movements as I keepthinking about a few things.  
Tartarus was always careful with his words, just like Gaea when she referred to my predicament. But mostly, she was just musing about how I was going to be her pet, her slave. The others weren't as careful as Tartarus, but cautious enough to make me think more on their actions now. Annabeth was even more safeguarded than Tartarus. More precaution and never really left time for us to have actual conversation. Once, a man came in to see me. It definitely was not Corruption. No, not dark enough. But close to it.  
Who was it then? I still haven't puzzled that one out. Wait. What did Corruption talk about? There was Chaos and Void and they were his nephew and brother. The brother is definitely older and this being was obviously older, but not that old. Surely not that old. He felt just as ancient as Gaea and Tartarus did and even less ancient feeling than Corruption himself. Possibly a little less. Did I see Chaos? Did I meet the Creator of the Universe?  
~Flashback~ I am standing at least, for once. Instead of just hanging there like a rag doll. Pillars on either side of me connect to my wrists by shackles and keep me in place. I watch without care as the door opens. A figure ocovered in shadows comes in. At first I think it's Thanatos or AHdes or something of that sort. But I quickly snuff that moronic hope out. Nothing is left for me in the world up above, no one is coming to save me. The dark figure walks closer until it is only a few feet away, just outside the perimteter of the pillars. He circles around and then walks up to me. He makes me look at him, although I can't see under his hood. "What do you want? Your turn?" I ask darkly.  
The figure freezes and then a celestial voice fills the room, but its source is the man in front of me. "No, I only come to see what my father has done to your soul." He answers.  
"Oh, great." I reply sarcastically. "You do that." I nod at him. "Tartarus your father? Thanatos? Hades? What'd you do to join Tartarus and his stupid monsters?" "Good to know at least someone down here has a sense of humor that isn't twisted." He lets go of my face and I can hear a small smile in his voice. He steps back and as he dissolves, much to my surprise, he speaks. "Soon, hero, soon. I promise." And then he's gone.  
~Flashback End~ That was just before the century I finally let my guard down in. 100 years later, Athena saved me. He was telling me that I would get out of that place soon. But...I wouldn't have believed that back then. I had resolved that no one was going to save me and that the Fates had me down there to punish me for everything I had done. I had decided that there was no way out for me and that I would have to survive down there on my own forever, just dealing with the constant, never ending pain dealt to me.  
So, that must have been Chaos. He talked about his father doing something to my soul. So, Void has marked my soul in some way. But I have no clue as to what it looks like or what affects it could have on me. But why mark me? "Gods, I have the worst luck." I mutter.  
"Is something wrong?" Artemis's brow furrows.  
I shake my head and smile brightly at her. "Nothing. Let's go wake up my lazy lieutenant." I grin and oull her off the bed, but stop right in the middle of my pace in the middle of the doorway. "Wait a minute, why were you in my bed?"  
She shrugs, blushing madly. "You were warm and I just fell asleep beside you."  
I raise an eyebrow but don't bother to question her further on the matter. I pull her along until I slam the door open to Nico's room, causing him to jump out of bed and land on the other side of it, on the floor. He stands up agitated.  
"Rise and shine bro!" I tell him.  
He scowls and growls. "What the Hads are you doing?"  
"Hey, we have a meeting today. And you need to learn to be an early riser, my friend. Stop being grumpy and hurry to the dining room. Don't make me drag you out of bed." I point at him and walk to the girls' room, waiting outside while Artemis checks to make sure they are dressed. 


	34. Chapter 34

Point of view: Perseus Jackson As I wait outside the door, I think about a few of the instances where some things were more occupational rather than for my pain, but it still hurt worse than what they did to me before then. It seems to me now that only Gaea enjoyed the one torture in particular.  
Flashback I fall to my hands and knees as my chains are released. "What do you want now?" I cough out in a rough and hoarse voice.  
Kronos makes me look at him. "This is going to break you. Mother wants to hear you scream. She wants to be the one to cause you to scream first. To beg for mercy. This will be the beginning."  
I spit in his face. "I've been down here for a very long time and you haven't gotten me to scream yet. Don't count on it." I growl.  
"Still defiant? But your body can't take much more stress before your mind snaps for it." Gaea smiles viciously.  
I narrow my eyes at the sparkling, jagged, and earthen chains in her hands.  
"What are you going to do? Switch my normal chains with those ones?" I bark out a laugh.  
She cackles with glee. "Oh no. These are not for anything like that. Well, not at first anyway. You'll see and feel it. You'll definitely feel it. I'll make sure of that. Good thing you can't die. Especially down here."  
Kronos pins me down. Gaea walks over to stand above me. "Would you like to guess at what she is going to do?" Kronos asks.  
"I don't care. Do what you want. There's nothing left for me. I don't see the point in something useless like life." I tell him.  
"I don't want to miss this. I have a feeling this will cause him to finally start cracking. The first step in breaking him completely. Tear him apart. from the inside." Tartarus says and leans in the doorway with Annabeth.  
"This is so splendid. I can't wait to hear your delicious peals of excruciating agony." Gaea says cheerily.  
She lets go of the chains but uses her powers to suspend them in the air. I focus on not making any noise and try to become blank as I realize what's going to happen to me. There is so much length to the chains that Gaea must have had to use her powers to even carry them here. There are thousands of ends.  
She hovers them above me and moves the ends to touch various parts of my skin, my body. Then it begins.  
The ends start to dig into my skin. After a few minutes, I can feel the jagged rocks jutting into every muscle, tissue, vein, you name it. They run through my legs, my arms, fingers, toes, hands, feet, thighs, the entirety of my torso, one even goes through my neck. But they leave my head alone.  
This time I can't help it, and as I start to be suspended throughout the feel by my entire body of chains and they all tighten and dig further in, I scream in horrible pain. It's the first time they got me to scream and it's louder than I've ever have done before.  
Flashback End "Perseus?" Artemis asks worriedly.  
"I'm fine. Are the girls ready to eat?" I reply.  
She nods with a perplexed look. I smile at her hugely and lead her and the girls, along with Nico, to the dining room where there is tons of food waiting.  
We all sit down and eat. As I eat, I think back again. Looking for anything or searching for something.  
Flashback I'm trapped in a chair in the middle of this gods damned cell. My wrists and ankles shackled down.  
"Would you like to talk about your problems?" Tartarus offers in false sympathy.  
"Like I care about my problems. They are irrelevant." I snarl.  
"How cute. You're in denial. You poor thing." Tartarus chuckles.  
"What do you really want from me? Annabeth just wants to make me suffer as I understand that all evil monsters and immortals want the same thing. But forever? I thought you were more creative. Why am I really here?" I ask.  
"Smarter than we were informed." Tartarus compliments. "You're right but I won't tell you that." He slaps me across the faceand I feel the welt rising on my right cheek. "I love hurting you especially. So delightful. Well, right now, I want to control you, but first I need to break you. It should be easy enough. No one has withstood me for more than three months down in this place."  
He drives his hand into my abdomen and a huge, gaping hole is left there when he takes his hand away. He does the same thing to my chest and my body is in shock. My lungs won't function and I can't find my heart. I start gasping for air.  
"So, what will it take to get you to join me, my cause?" Tartarus asks as I start to breathe normal again and the holes in mychest are allowed to heal and close up.  
This time he sticks knives into all my pressure points and eventually in decorated all over with them. Blood pours from my mouth in waterfalls. "I won't...break...so...easily." I cough out and draw in haggard breaths.  
"Is that so? You are strong willed for a demigod. I am most interested to see how long that stubborn will of the sea will last down here." Tartarus chuckles and takes my ace in one hand, making me look at him as I struggle to fight for survival. "So much like your father it makes me sick."  
"I hate Poseidon. If I ever see him again, I'll kill him myself." I manage to force out. His eyes widen and he laughs heartily, still holding my face.  
"My, my. Maybe I should get to know about your problems or I could go to Annabeth." He says mockingly and I growl. "How far the mighty have fallen. Clear down in your own personal hell. I'm so glad I get to personally oversee it. I'll enjoy taming you. The sea is the most fun to break."  
"Monster." I splutter out.  
Flashback End "The sea is the most fun to break...but why?" I speak aloud.  
All conversation stops and Artemis puts one of her hands on my own. "Perseus? Is everything all right?" The girls look at me sadly and I think a few recognize the line.  
'Because it is so restless and wild, young pawn.' A voice cackles in my head. 'Before I am forced to save my energy, I have a message for you.'  
I clutch my head at the searing pain as Corruption's voice reverberates through it as he speaks.  
"What do you want?" I ask through gritted teeth.  
"Percy!" Thalia exclaims.  
'Oh, I want what I told you before. I want you, kneeling before me, my loyal servant. My little pawn, my knight, and I your king. My brother just makes you a bigger target, and my nephew...well, he is now going to try to contact you to help you. All because I am rising, just because your soul started to shatter. Your soul was like the key to my prison and I want that key to be loyal to me. Because with you, you can seal away an immortal forever and all because of your purity. It makes me sick how bright youare, drawing the attention of all you cross. It's impossible for you to be invisible and Void just made that idea all the harder for you to pull off. That mark on your soul...he's marked you for what you are and he will meet you one day. I hope you see how awful my brother and his son are. You'll see in time that my side is the best side. I will personally see to your demise on the battlefield.' Each word sends pain coursing through my body, but my head feels like it is about to explode.  
I feel his presence leave my mind and retreat to Tartarus. He weakened himself by talking to me. He couldn't have stayed any longer. I rub a hand over my face and everybody breathes out a sigh in relief. A hand rests on my back and I look over, straight into Artemis's eyes. I search them and see that intelligence passes through hers as she studies mine.  
"You're still hurt." She says.  
I shake my head. "No, but Corruption sending me a message was painful. It will pass. I am fine."  
"What did he tell you?" Phoebe asks, curious but worried immensely.  
I repeat word for word what he told me and they all listen intently. But they look confused and grim. "So, he wants you?" Thalia sums it up.  
"Yes." I nod in confirmation.  
"Anything else?" Artemis asks.  
"The world, but I don't plan on letting him have anything." I growl out the last part of the sentence. 


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty Five: Someone Save Us, Weddings!  
Point of view: Third Person "Percy. Are you sure you're alright?" Phoebe asks.  
"Of course Phoebe. Do not worry, sister. All is well now." Percy smiles genuinely at her.  
"The pain is still there in your eyes." Artemis murmurs and touches her fingertips next to one of his eyes gently.  
He turns his gaze to Artemis and grabs her hand. He kisses it and holds it on the table. "It will pass. It is nothing I can't deal with."  
"Okay." She allows.  
~Two Weeks Later~ "Okay kiddies! Time to suit up!" Aphrodite squeals.  
"'Kiddies'?" Percy asks.  
Artemis puts a hand on his arm and shakes her head at him. "She's never been so excited for such a long time. Leave her be. It's nice to see her so jovial."  
Percy nods. "I see. Sounds good to me. I will see you at the altar then. Olympus help us all from her bubbling decorative skills. Please let mother Hera have reigned her in some." Percy kisses Artemis's cheek and walks off with the other grooms.  
~Four Hours Later~ "This is so exciting!" They all hear Hera shriek.  
The grooms all wait at the altar for their respective brides, Percy stands closest to the altar and that means Artemis and her bridesmaids will come last. Raphael stands next to him, meaning Aphrodite is before Artemis, and so on as Hephaestus, Ares, and the others stand waiting.  
Demeter comes in first and stands opposite of her soon to be husband, very soon. Then when Artemis finally comes in, Percy watches her closely, making sure she really wants this. When he sees the silent tears running in a flood down her face, he's not so sure he should be doing this. But then he sees her smile and knows he's making the right choice. It has to happen anyway, but he doesn't want to force her into anything, even if it is tradition.  
When he takes her hands from Zeus, Zeus smiles at Percy before going and sitting in the front row on the right side of the aisle. Percy squeezes her hands to help Artemis.  
He only hears a few words of what Hera says and all the grooms say, "I do." Followed by all the brides saying, "I do." Then all he hears after that is, "You may all kiss your brides." And Artemis looks at him. Percy smiles before kissing her gently and he's the first to pull away from his bride, making Hera giggle. Percy chuckles at Artemis's pouting face and then he elbows Raphael, making him pull away from Aphrodite. Artemis giggles and Percy smiles at the pealing sound that makes his insides flutter.  
Chapter Thirty Six: Receptions and Honeymoons Point of view: Third Person Artemis looks into Percy's eyes and he knows that she's already nervous, just as much as he is. He leads her back down the aisle, with Raphael following, even though the other newlyweds are still kissing. The doors open for them at the end of theaisle and he leads her out into the reception. She smiles at him and he guides her over to the silver and navy blue seats set up for them. The Hunters all come out along with Nico and fill the seats at the table, leaving the other empty seats for the Guardians if they want to sit with their patron for a little while. The Companions turn into their human forms and sit next to their Guardians.  
"Perseus." Artemis starts.  
"Yes, my Moon?" Percy responds immediately.  
She giggles. "I've been meaning to ask you something."  
"What is it?" He asks curiously.  
"Do the Protectors and Tenders get Companions as well? Or is it just Guardians that get them?" Artemis asks.  
Percy starts laughing and stops abruptly when he sees Artemis's facial expression, but chuckles a little bit. "Yes, I just haven't had the time. I was planning to take care of it after..." He looks away.  
Artemis blushes and looks down at the table. "Oh." She squeaks.  
Before any of the newlyweds, other than Raphael and Aphrodite because it was the love goddess's idea, they are allhandcuffed to their respective lover. "Aphrodite!" Artemis yells in indignation.  
Percy laughs under his breath and Artemis glares at him, his eyes alight with amusement. He makes Artemis sit down slowly and pulls her closer. "Relax, Artemis." He says softly and she sighs. "It's not like you're handcuffed to your brother. You should feel more for Clarisse. The poor girl." Artemis giggles at that.  
"True." Artemis allows, but Percy knows she's not going to let it go.  
"Am I as bad as your brother?" Percy asks her kindly.  
The moon goddess sighs and the huntresses giggle. "No." Artemis admits.  
"Then what's the matter? It's not confining, either of us can easily remove them no matter what Aphrodite says, they are a symbol, and in some situations, a tradition. Besides, I quite like the idea, as long as it's with you and you alone. You don't see me fighting against it and I hate being restrained." Percy tells her and Artemis melts.  
"Oh, alright. If it's okay with you." Artemis consents. Percy chuckles and kisses her cheek, making her blush.  
"Thank you, Perseus!" Aphrodite squeals.  
Percy rolls his eyes. "Just as long as you know I will take them off if something happens."  
"That's fine by me." Aphrodite grins.  
"How long do we have to keep them on?" Artemis asks in irritation.  
"Until you are ready." Aphrodite says.  
"Well then can I please take it off?" Artemis asks.  
Percy looks away from Artemis but replies before Aphrodite can with a smart remark. "She means on the honeymoon, Artemis. At night."  
Artemis turns gold. "Okay."  
"So, how about we get this reception started off with a bang?!" Ares hollers and everybody cheers, the table where Percy and Artemis being the quietest.  
"What's wrong?" Clarisse looks over at us.  
"Clarisse, the Hunt is mainly consisted of girls who don't believe in this. They are only here for Artemis and the few huntresses that left because they had another duty to perform." Percy tells her.  
She nods. "Sorry." She mutters.  
"It's fine." Percy smiles at her.  
"We are here for you too." Thalia sticks her tongue out at Percy.  
"I consider myself a part of Artemis if you think of it at a certain point of view. I am my own person though, so I can see where you are coming from." Percy smiles at her and Thalia grins.  
Delilah and Asale come bounding in and change when they get to Percy. "Brother!" Asale exclaims excitedly and leaps into Percy's lap. Delilah laughs whole-heartedly and sits in an open seat at the table.  
"She's happy. Soon, brother, soon." Delilah says, hinting at something.  
Artemis doesn't understand, but Percy does. "Oh." He turns sad, but smiles for Asale's sake. "You have grown. How have you been?"  
"Great! And my brother is married!" Asale squeals and then turns to Artemis. "So is Lady Artemis!" Asale says and jumps onto Artemis, hugging her. Artemis hugs back with her free hand.  
Asale pulls back and sniffs at the handcuffs. She wrinkles her nose at the smell. "Smells of love and silver, maybe some magic. Don't know what kind, haven't grown enough to tell that yet." She turns to look at Percy who is conveniently looking away, starting when she started sniffing the handcuffs. "Didn't you smell it?"  
"Oh. He smells it alright." Delilah giggles hysterically.  
"You two are acting like you're on a sugar high. What have you ate?" Percy asks, turning gold.  
"Uh oh, Mr. Unfeeling is blushing." Delilah laughs.  
Percy sighs and looks away again. A different light to his eyes.  
"I didn't mean-" Delilah starts to apologize.  
Percy shakes his head, making her stop in the middle of her apology. "It's fine. There's nothing to worry about or forgive. I am perfectly fine. Just worried about what I saw with Nico."  
"I shouldn't have brought it up though, I am sorry either way." Delilah tells him.  
Percy smiles a little and looks over at her with a kind light to his eyes, a mischievous twinkle accompanying it. "No, I actually thought it was quite funny, but I got distracted." He chuckles.  
"What does Asale mean by the smell?" Artemis asks curiously.  
Percy starts to turn gold again and both Delilah and Asale snort, feeling what he is and enjoying he is feeling good nonetheless. "Well, the love is because of Aphrodite, the silver is what it's made of, and, um," He clears his throat. "The magic is a little more difficult." He won't meet Artemis's eyes.  
Artemis turns stern. "What is the magic? Is it yours?"  
Percy looks at her shocked. "Gods no!" He says and Artemis raises an eyebrow, waiting for an answer and he looks away again. "Asale smells the love magic coming off of it and it's sort of...well, I don't know if I should tell you."  
Artemis looks incredulous. "What kind of love magic is it?"  
Percy scrunches his nose in disgust. "It's all around in the air, I see why she smelled it. It's very potent. Olympus, half of you will be...and then there's also the fact that with...but Asale doesn't smell what type it is, but Delilah does."  
Artemis makes Percy look at her. "What kind is it?" She asks through her teeth.  
Percy sighs. "In Aphrodite's mind, it's the best kind."  
"And?" Artemis prompts.  
"The handcuffs are a symbolic tradition of intertwining the two who were just married so they are together forever and to show others that they'll never be separated no matter what obstacles they face. And, Aphrodite imbued love magic into the handcuffs that makes that tradition a real thing instead of just symbolically traditional." Percy begins.  
"What's wrong with that?" Artemis asks.  
"The type of love magic that is, is the complete polar opposite, nearly anyways, that she also entwined in the things. Hers is stronger on hers and Raphael's. They all have different ranges. It's why both of my mothers are laughing continuously while everyone else is enjoying their evening. They are too, trust me, but they understand what it is. This kind is to help with the nervousness of the honeymoon." Percy says.  
Artemis finally catches on. "But I don't get why that's a bad thing if it gets rid of the anxiety." She looks confused.  
Percy sighs heavily and sinks into his seat. "You're really going to make me say it...aren't you?"  
Phoebe gets it. "Oh. OH." She says. "Milady, it gets rid of the nervousness because." Phoebe rolls her hands over in a motion and Artemis gets more confused, even though all the other girls understand. Nico starts to turn gold and looks over at Thalia, who is just as bright as the Golden Fleece as he is.  
Percy holds up his hand with the handcuff and presents it to Artemis. "Artemis, it fills you with love. It more or less multiplies the love you already feel by, well, a lot, I won't tell you how much because it's a frightening amount, but it makes you...eager for later. In looking at it at the moment, I suppose those words don't quite cover it because you can control it, so that makes it better. By eager I mean it shoves the nervousness down so you don't feel it and it makes it easier for you. Aphrodite just uses her magic to make hers more...interesting. Besides, I can repress it for you if you want. Aphrodite is in a...state where she's going to enjoy tonight with Raphael whereas others might be a little nervous. She imbued ours with the one kind everybody has and the one that rids you of the anxiety, as you put it, so you don't feel so bad. I can smell all the different kinds in the air and I really don't want to smell ours to know for sure what kind it is, but I am pretty sure ours is the least dangerous of all of them. I think you should be more worried for Raphael."  
Artemis seems to get it and turns gold, a huge contrast on her pale skin. "Oh." She looks at Percy. "I don't feel any different, I still feel anxious."  
"Because the magic hasn't kicked in except for the one everybody else has. I'll be able to smell it all more strongly when Aphrodite activates it. I could tell you now, but I really don't want to smell all the different kinds. Especially today. It will mess with my head forever." Percy tells her.  
Artemis studies his dampened mood. "What's wrong?" She asks in concern and looks over at Delilah.  
Delilah purses her lips. "He's fine, milady."  
Artemis looks back at Percy and realizes what she said. "I'm sorry." She says.  
Percy glances at her. "It's fine. I am still adjusting to the overwhelming majority of my emotions." Percy sits back up and stares off at the trees.  
"The waves rolling off of you have been changing constantly a lot. It's why I'm not sure if Asale and I are reading you right because you're still becoming used to all of it." Delilah says. "It would be easier if this wasn't such a life changing event. He will be mainly concentrated on the feelings he feels around you today, but he might venture off a little bit because of the emotions that are in turmoil inside him." Delilah tells Artemis. "You didn't actually hurt his feelings, he's just in a sour mood at themoment."  
Artemis nods. "I see. Thank you for telling me."  
"Can I at least hurt some of the minor gods? I'm sorry, they aren't minor but they are going to be a little injured if I don't adjust quickly. It's bad enough I have to deal with this crap today, I am not going to deal with it for much longer. I cannot stand half of the stuff I am feeling. I shouldn't be feeling them today. Polar opposite of what I should be. Stupid death god." Percy mutters.  
"Will he be like this all day?" Phoebe asks as she tries, and fails, to contains giggle.  
"No. He might have mood swings though." Asale says.  
"You feel what he feels?" Artemis looks at the little Companion.  
"Well," Asale starts. "It's more like we sense what he feels and know what he is feeling. We have our own feelings of course. But if he feels like that, it affects us. Right now, though, it's pretty hilarious. We can also tell what our fellow Companions are feeling. Well, the Companions that are connected to him at least."  
"Has anyone noticed Percy has girl Companions while everyone else has a copy of them?" Thalia asks.  
"Yeah..." Nico looks at Percy curiously.  
Percy seems to realize everybody is looking at him. "What?" He asks.  
"Why don't you have a Companion who looks like you?" Artemis asks.  
"Oh, I haven't found him yet. I brought the Guardians their Companions because they needed them. I could call on him I suppose, but he is not ready yet. So, I am waiting until he comes to me. Besides, Delilah and Asale are perfectly capable." Percy answers and everybody nods.  
"Wait, can they turn human on their own before they bond?" Nico asks uncertainly.  
"No, we have to bond with our Guardian, Protector, or Tender first." Delilah replies for Percy.  
The catering finally gets to their table and they all dig in. After everyone is done, the catering comes over and cleans up the mess and after dessert in done, does the same thing again. Aphrodite clears her throat loudly. "Well, Hera and Hestia have picked out all the different honeymoons for each couple. So, see them and the rest of you can go enjoy the rest of your evenings."  
"Oh dear Olympus save me." Percy sinks into his seat again.  
Artemis looks at him hurt. "What is it?"  
"If both Hera and Hestia picked ours you should be worrying." Percy whispers.  
Artemis giggles. "I'm sure it can't be that bad."  
"Oh, you have no idea." Percy says and sinks further.  
"Is he okay?" Thalia asks Nico.  
"Dude. Stop giving off that vibe." Nico tells Percy.  
"Brother, what's wrong?" Asale asks and Delilah sighs.  
"Oh, he's..." Nico mutters. He helps Thalia get up and walks around to Percy. He puts a hand on his shoulder and it glows with a black light. Percy blinks and looks up at Nico. "Hey, just don't let it bother you." Nico looks worriedly at Percy and separates his own mind from Percy's again.  
Percy sits up. "Thinking about what I've talked with Hera and Hestia before sent me spiraling down memory lane."  
Nico looks at Percy knowingly. "Yeah, I saw. Are you sure you slept it off enough?"  
"As much as I could." Percy admits.  
"Your head is off track. Just think about Artemis and focus on her." Nico tells him.  
Percy sighs, again. "Yeah, I know."  
Nico grins. "Good."  
"Okay, you guys have fun." Percy pats Nico's shoulder and hugs Thalia one-armed after getting up.  
Artemis looks down at her wedding dress and sighs. "I hope I don't have to wear this."  
"I don't think you're supposed to." Percy chuckles and leads Artemis over to his mothers.  
Hestia snaps her fingers and Artemis changes into a silver sundress with navy blue, Percy's color, streaks in patterns throughout it. Hera snaps hers and Percy changes into a silver long sleeve shirt that looks somewhat formal and navy blue dress pants. "That way you're both comfortable enough not to complain since you are used to hunter clothing." Hera smirks and the couple blush.  
"I hope you have fun, we planned a wonderful afternoon and evening for you." Hestia kisses Percy on the cheek and hugs Artemis. Hera does the same and both goddesses snap their fingers.  
When Percy and Artemis open their eyes, they find they are on an island resort. "But this is..." Percy's brow furrows.  
"What?" Artemis asks.  
"This is Circe's island." Percy murmurs.  
"Circe?" Artemis asks.  
"Are they trying to be funny?" Percy mutters.  
"Why are we here?" Artemis asks him.  
That's when Percy spots everyone else over at the docks. He leads Artemis over to them. "Anyone know why we are here?" Percy asks irritably.  
Aphrodite turns to him excitedly. "Relax, it's not here we are staying, you have to get these." Aphrodite holds out two pieces of paper.  
Percy takes them and reads over them. When he is done, he hands them to Artemis. The red paper reads: Zosten Hotel;Paris, France. The green paper reads: Honeymoon; Touring France in all of its most famous sights, tasting all of its delicious foods, drinking their fine wine, and relaxing in its peaceful places. Artemis hands them back to Aphrodite, who hands them to Hephaestus. "These are for you two." She says and Hephaestus nods, the rest of the honeymoon stuff appearing in his hands. The passes for the tours and food.  
Aphrodite turns to Artemis and Percy, handing Percy a red and green paper of his own. He gives them to Artemis after he is done reading. The red paper reads: River Bank Suites; Genoa Italy. The green paper reads: Music concerts in the Teatra AllaScala in Milan, Italy. The Ostia beach and all its activities. The Bridge of Sighs on the Rio di Palazzo, gondola riding, and the restaurants in Bologna; I Portici's Hotel Restaurant, Al Pappagallo restaurant, Caminetto d'Oro, All'Osteria Bottega, and Drogheria Della Rosa for tasting and experiencing fine cuisine.  
Artemis looks at Percy and the things they need for the honeymoon flash into their hands. "Are you ready?" Percy asks softly and looks down at her.  
"Well, I'm sure young people like you will be looked at strangely." Hephaestus grumbles at Artemis and Percy.  
"We're both in our twenty year old forms." Artemis looks at Hephaestus confused.  
Percy laughs and takes the hand Artemis has in the handcuff with his trapped hand. "Come on, Artemis."  
Artemis smiles at his now playful mood. She grins and they flash to the place where the pass says to start at. They end up getting driven down a beautiful street to the Teatra Alla Scala. They spend hours there listening to the beautiful and moving music. Both understanding it and realizing Hestia and Hera chose the right place for the music because it is all about what Artemis and Percy are to each other, what they are going to be to each other, and the love they feel for one another. Peace and sincerity as they talked during the concert. After that, the driver took them clear to the Ostia beach. They went kitesurfing, walked along the beach looking for the seashells, and messed around in the ocean with each other. They sit on the docks now and their feet rest in the water. The sky starts to set in all these beautiful colors along with the sun.  
"It's beautiful." Artemis breathes.  
Percy nods and watches as the red ripples against the blue. "But the night is even more gorgeous, especially when the moon is out and about." He says.  
Artemis looks over at him and lays her head on his shoulder and he smiles down at her kindly. He rests his head on top of hers. "You never told me." Artemis starts.  
"About?" He asks quietly, easily.  
"Down there." She says in a small voice.  
"Not tonight Artemis. I want you to be happy, relaxed. Not stressing about your future or your problems. I want to make you happy enough to forget about my times in Tartarus. I don't want you to be sad or anything, especially not now." Percy whispers and kisses the top of her head.  
Artemis leans into him more. "Okay."  
"Everybody is staring at the cuffs weirdly." Artemis giggles after a few minutes.  
"I know." He says and chuckles lightly.  
"Trust me." He tells her in a whisper. "I'll be fine."  
She nods, her head resting more easily on his shoulder. He realizes with a start that she's asleep and smiles at er, chuckling quietly. He lifts her up into his arms and walks over to the driver's car. They continue to Bolgna, Percy waking Artemis up just as they park next to the first restaurant. Percy dismisses the driver and leads Artemis inside. After trying the different foods and actually eating at the last restaurant, the Caminetto d'Oro, they head flash to the Bridge of Sighs in Venice and then walk towards the gondolas. They ride the gondola and watch the city go by, enjoying the peaceful ride and loving the fact it looks so elegant with the moon shining brightly. Artemis and Percy make the moon shine brighter and marvel at the beauty of the city at night.  
"It's wonderful to be here with you. I finally get to be with my Guardian." Artemis leans on Percy's shoulder again and sighs as she gets comfortable. She tucks her feet underneath of her. Percy puts his arm around her and chuckles as she blushes.  
"I am too." He says.  
It's quiet for awhile and the man steering the gondola looks back to realize he should be quiet. He smiles at the couple though.  
"It's hard to believe..." Artemis says. Percy waits for her and is rewarded as she continues. "That I am actually married." She laughs softly. "I feel a lot better for some reason."  
Percy smiles, but doesn't say anything. After a while, "Artemis," Percy starts and she waits for him to go on as well. "I want to say thank you." He says.  
She looks at him patiently, but when she notices he's waiting for her to say something, she does. "For what?"  
Percy takes a deep breath and looks down at her, making her insides flutter with his content, sincere, and gentle loving expression. "For saving me."  
He says it so tenderly she smiles and snuggles into him. "I believe that was Athena, but you don't have to thank either of us." She replies as she gets closer to him.  
"No," He shakes his had and tightens his hold on her. "Athena got me out. She didn't save me. I may have said it, but that's not what it was. You saved me." He tells her. Something wet lands on Artemis's face and she looks up to see the tears slowly running down Percy's face. "You gave me my life back. Family, friends, love. Most of all love. Thinking back on it now, I can finally feel what I should have felt. And I feel horrible for all that I've said to you and the girls. And I know I couldn't help it at the time, but I feel so guilty now. I just want you to know that I am grateful, no matter how I acted before. And now I'm ruiningtonight." He says.  
Artemis makes him look at her and wipes some of the tears off of his face. "You don't have to thank me for anything. I know you are grateful. We understood then and we understand now. We knew it was hard for you no matter how unfeeling you seemed. We love you. I love you. You aren't ruining tonight. The fact you told me makes me extremely happy. I feel warm and Iam so glad you told me."  
Percy nods and puts his forehead against hers. "Thank you." He breathes and she hugs him. She wipes the rest of his tears off of his face and he seems more at ease than before. She watches as he becomes more and more warm to her. That lively light in his eyes brightens and she smiles hugely.  
"I love you." Percy whispers.  
Artemis looks up at him at the sudden speech and she smiles even wider. "I love you, too." She tells him.  
He smiles a little and looks out at the water. He brings some of it over and shapes it into things that Artemis loves to see. She giggles at a few and adores the ones he makes of different animals he knows she likes. He sends the water back to its source and holds her closer again. "I'm glad you can feel again." She tells him.  
He stiffens and then smiles without looking away from the sky, the moon almost near the middle of it. "I am as well. Mainly because of you and the girls. But most of all you."  
She pokes his arm and he looks at her, surprising him as she kisses him for the second time. It takes him a second but he kisses back. Artemis pulls away after a few seconds, blushing lightly and leans against Percy. Percy stares at her and then smiles, turning back to the sky as he spend his time with Artemis.  
When the gondola ride ends, they thank the man and he wishes them the best for as long as they live. They smiled and Percy made it so the man lived the rest of his days easy and in peace, seeing his hectic daily life and how hard it was for him. Bestowing a tiny gift of a small blessing on him. Something Nemesis isn't allowed to balance out, but she herself would have fixed about the man sooner or later. He will live happily now.  
They flash to the hotel and Artemis starts to head for the bathroom. "Um, Artemis." Percy says nervously.  
"What?" She asks blushing.  
"I can't go with you to the bathroom if you're going to want time alone." He says, not looking at her.  
"What do you mean?" She asks befuddled.  
He clears his throat and raises the hand that is in the handcuff. "I'm still attached to you." He says.  
She seems to realize. "Oh."  
He snaps his fingers and the handcuffs disappear. She enters the bathroom while he walks over to the window to look out at the sea. He sighs and walks to the other bathroom.  
After he's done, he's about to open the door when he feels something. He puts a hand to his head and has to put his other hand on the wall for support. "I'm still weak." He mutters.  
(The single quotations will denote that person's thoughts. Bold for Percy and italics for Artemis.)  
'I'm perfectly healthy physically, but I am drained mentally. Emotionally is an understatement. I've been drowning in my feelings now forever. Weeks. It should have stopped a couple days ago. Being down in Tartarus again screwed up the entire readjusting process. I thought I wasn't going to be able to make Artemis enjoy her time today because the emotions were so high today.'  
Percy is able to walk out and back over to the window in his towel. He watches as people start to go inside and the serenity of the night truly comes out.  
Artemis is sitting in the shower, with it running, contemplating how to stop being so nervous. Earlier, she asked Percy to block the other magic because she wanted to feel her own emotions without the magic.  
'He's just as nervous as I am. I know that. He told me. It's obvious too. I can feel it radiating off of him from here. And he can obviously feel mine. It's what I've wanted for a long time now. And it's not going to happen if I don't face it.'  
She sighs, standing up and turning off the shower. She wraps her towel around her and joins Percy by the window.  
"Still enjoying the sights?" She asks.  
"Of course." Percy says.  
"What do you see?" She starts to stall. 'Stop it.'  
"The life all around the city even though it looks dead to others. The past, the present, the future. I imagine it will one day be gone." Percy answers.  
Artemis nods. "Anything else?"  
"The moon in all of its stunning and radiant glory." Percy says.  
Artemis smiles and pulls him backwards. She sits on the bed and pulls him down next to her. She kisses him again. 


	36. Chapter 36

Point of View: Artemis Jackson I wake up with my head on Percy's chest and my arm slung over his midsection. I look up to find him awake and just laying there, his arm over his eyes, but they are still visible, and staring at the ceiling. I immediately know what he is feeling because it radiates off of him. He's upset but happy.  
"Upset because I woke up with my jumbled up emotions in that setting and happy because of you. And before you ask, yes,you did speak aloud." He startles me. He seems to notice. "Sorry." He apologizes and I smile.  
"It's okay. I understand and it's not like it's your fault." I tell him and he smiles a little bit, but it doesn't stay for but a few seconds before it disappears. "You feel different to me."  
He bursts out laughing and it catches me completely off guard. I am not used to him being so interactive with his feelings. Definitely different. "Tell me, Artemis, why would we feel different to each other?Hmm?" He kisses me lightly and then chuckles. "Perhaps the act last night?" Then he rolls out of bed and I stare. I didn't look while we were...yeah.  
He laughs as he hears my thoughts and looks over his shoulder, smiling brightly. I turn red and get up. He doesn't even look embarrassed and moves to the dresser by the wall. "Why aren't you red like I am?"  
"Because nudity isn't something that bothers me and besides, I don't stare. I could I suppose, but I don't feel like making a habit of it. It's not really my thing." He tells her with an amused smile on his face.  
"So I'm not good enough to stare at?" I ask hurt.  
He's towering over me in the next half a second. "There is only one woman that I care to look at. I don't have to stare because I'll be with her forever. I have all the chances in the world and all the time a man could ask for to be with her." He cups my face and leans down so our lips ghost over each other when either of us speaks. "You are perfect in my eyes. There is no being lovelier than my Moon. And I am married to you. I will stay with you forever and my life would be forfeit without you. You make me whole Artemis, staring has nothing to do with it. With one glance I know you are mesmerizing to my gaze. I don't need to stare to see that. You stare because you were so used to seeing my scars, not my unmarked body." He presses his lips against mine and pulls away after a few seconds. "Besides, you should get dressed. I am going to take you somewhere before we have to return to the world." He laughs and gets dressed.  
I follow his example and put on my clothes. "Why didn't you just summon your clothes on your form?"  
"Why didn't you?" He counters and laughs. "I just felt like being normal for once." He winks and then I am in his arms as he flashes away with me.  
We are under water in a cavern that shines beautifully with the corals of light. There's a blanket and a basket for a picnic and several melodies are playing naturally from the way the water rushes over different plant life and then swirls into it as it goes away, only to come back again. I brighten at the little place. "It's beautiful." I say breathlessly.  
He just smiles and continues towards the blanket. He sets me down gently and then sits down beside me. He empties the basket in front of us. "It's a breakfast picnic. I didn't give you the third paper that appeared in my hands from Hestia. Hera sent me a blue one, but you'll see when it happens."  
I giggle and his eyes sparkle at seeing me so happy. He pours me some sparkling apple cider and then pours himself some. He looks a little distant and absentminded though...  
We sit there and eat, talk, and play games that don't require moving. He sings for me along with the melodies, songs he knows because of the sea teaching him and those that are in his blood. We end up just sitting there and when it's quiet, I find him looking down at me thoughtfully. I just lean into him and he looks at the cave wall brooding. He sighs and puts his head on top of mine as he keeps us up with his arms.  
This causes me to look up at him. "Are you okay? Is is your soul again?"  
He shakes his head but remains silent. After a while, he sighs again and looks down at me. "Artemis, do you feel any difference in your aura like I do?"  
"Well of course, our souls have changed because of-" I start in some confusion at why he's asking me that question. He should know.  
"No. Listen to me, I am talking about you and you alone. Your presence, do you sense anything different about yourself?" He rephrases and I look at him weirdly, raising an eyebrow.  
I concentrate on my soul and shake my head. "No, not really. Why?"  
Point of View: Perseus Jackson I sense several little strands of life entwined with Artemis's. They are so familiar, yet I cannot figure out why. I know it is theFates blocking me. Something they won't let me know just yet. But I am positive what it is that makes her different.  
I sigh and move my free hand to her abdomen. "Artemis, my Moon, you are with child." I tell her slowly.  
Point of View: Artemis Jackson My eyes widen and now I know I feel different. Really different. I just dismissed it as what I did last night with Percy.  
"Several children, actually. They are too close together for me to tell, but I am sure there is more than one, maybe two." He continues.  
"Percy?" I whisper.  
"Yes?" He asks cautiously.  
But I don't answer, not for a few minutes and he starts to worry. "How many are there?" I ask.  
"Um..." He looks like he's focusing and intelligence passes through his eyes. "Artemis..." He shakes his head.  
"Tell me." I command with tears in my eyes.  
His hands move over me, trying to reassure me. Then he just takes my hands in his. He looks into my eyes and I freeze at the number he tells me. "Nine." He whispers. "There are nine little lights connected to your soul."  
When I don't speak, he saddens and then says something I know I'll regret if I don't tell him what I want. What I truly want. "You don't have to have them. I understand if you don't want that many children. We can try again for just one child. If you do not want to have so many, you do not have to go through with it." He starts to get up and I pull him back down and kiss him passionately.  
This surprises him. "I want to have them, I just didn't realize there were so many. I have wanted to have children of my own for a long time now, but hearing it is very different than wanting it. Knowing about it, it just shocked me. I want your children, Percy. I always will."  
He stares at me and then smiles warmly as tears slide down his face. I wipe them off and he catches my hand, shaking hishead. "Let them fall. They are not for sadness, but for joy. If I am going to cry, it's going to be because I am happy, not because I am upset." He keeps my hand pressed to his face. "Thank you." He whispers and it makes me grin. "You don't know how this makes me feel." He tells me. He gathers me to his form and hums songs to me, it makes me even more ecstatic.  
"I think I know how you feel, Perseus." I tell him and rest my head on his chest.  
"Ready for the next stop?" He asks me after awhile.  
I nod. "You bet."  
He chuckles and flashes away with me again. We land on a beach somewhere on an island, that much I can tell. He sets me on my feet. "The only thing inhabiting this island are a select few rare game that revive as soon as you kill it and the hunt begins again. So, it's a hunting game for the last day of our honeymoon. Everybody else is either...well, knowing some of the othersand then the rest are probably discussing terms or whatever. Who knows? But, Hera thought this would make us happy an-mmm!"  
I cut him off by pulling his head down to my level and kissing him. "Of course this will make us happy. Hunting is fun, even after all this time. Do you enjoy it?"  
He grins as he looks over me. "I love hunting, especially when it's with you."  
I smirk. "What about against me?"  
He chuckles. "You'd win. Even if I did admit to being superior than you, and I never will because I highly doubt it, I would let you win for you to be happy. It makes you feel good and that's all I want."  
I scowl. "Why would you let me win if you could beat me?"  
"I just told you, my Moon. I just like seeing you overjoyed. That's how you are whenever you hunt and even more so if you win a hunting contest. I love seeing you excited, it makes my day." He tells me and looks up at the sky smiling before looking back down at me.  
"And that makes you happy?" I ask unsure.  
He kisses my cheek. "More than happy. It's a chain reaction. And not only for me and you, but for others as well. Our sisters,my Companions, my guardian, his Companions, my Protector, my Tenders, and basically anything that likes seeing me happythat likes seeing Nico happy that likes seeing...I'm just going to stop there. It's a bond thing. So, I'll put it this way. When you are happy, nearly everyone you love is happy and in turn everyone they love is happy."  
I giggle. "So, if you make me happy, then a lot of others are going to be happy as well?"  
"Potentially." He answers with a huge smile.  
"Are we going to hunt?" I ask.  
He gestures for the forest. "You start."  
I grin and take off, him following right behind me without trouble. We dart through the forest and by time the sun is setting, we've hunted down so many different species and had so much fun. He surprises me though when he playfully pushes me into a river with a waterfall. He laughs and disappears.  
"Hey!" I yell indignantly.  
I hear his laughter and I know he is shaking with it. Then I feel arms around my form. I know I turn dry when I stop feeling soaked. "Relax, my Moon. I am never mischievous as you put it. Or a troublemaker. Doesn't that also mean I am not normally playful? I thought you would like to see my childlike side for once and it's not really childish. Let's call it my loose side." I look up to see a kind smile on a playful expression. I stick my tongue out at him. "You can't even get me back in water, it does absolutely nothing." He taunts.  
I sigh and feel him laughing, but he's gone again. His voice sounds far away when he speaks, "I am a different kind of beast you know. Would you enjoy hunting me?"  
I giggle and take off after the sound of his voice. "I would love to play this game. Let's see if you make better sport than the others."  
He booms with laughter as he gets farther away from me. I frown at his speed. "The speed of wolves and werewolves are nearly unparalleled. not to mention I can shift to increase my speed or just focus on the ability in my human form." I hear him after a little while. "Evasion and illusion. Very annoying, good thing I have them and am better at it than most. Magic and cloaking is even more fun. I have learned from you for long enough and now that I share your domain,I can cover my trail just as easily as you can. But you are still better at it."  
I stop as I feel his aura in two different places at once. I stiffen as I feel a hand on my shoulder. It runs down my arm and then his lips press against my cheek. I turn to swipe at him, but he's gone and sprinting again. I hear him chuckle and I huff in annoyance.  
"What's the matter Artemis? Can't catch your own Guardian?" He taunts me.  
After a matter of three hours and forty-four minutes, I tackle him to the ground and pin him there. He laughs breathlessly. "Caught me. I'm yours."  
"A magnificent prize." I giggle.  
I am flashed to the beach and am in the same position. I look down at him and he smiles. He seems relaxed and I smile. He's normally always tense, whether you can tell or not.  
"Did you enjoy your past couple of days?" He asks out of the blue, his eyes are closed, my weight not even bothering him.  
I smile and just lay down on top of him. He opens his eyes to smile at me and then closes them again. "I loved them. What about you?"  
"There is one thing that is missing from it all." He whispers and I raise an eyebrow.  
"What's that?" I ask curiously.  
He grins and then looks at me with happiness, but I know he's being serious. "Are you happy? Truly happy? I need to know."  
This catches me by surprise and then I smile warmly. "We wouldn't be here if I wasn't happy. And I'd say I am far past happy."  
He smiles and I know he is more relaxed now. "Good."  
I touch his face and he blinks his eyes open to look at me with soft eyes. Eyes I never get to see. No cracks, no pain, no tension, no hatred, no resentment, just...happiness and love and trust and peace. I lay my head on his chest again and he wraps his arms around my waist. After awhile, I kiss him and I don't stop. And we continue where we left off the night before... 


	37. Chapter 37

Point of View: Third Person Artemis wakes up before Percy this time and starts to wonder what her father is going to think. He looked appeased and happy enough at the wedding, so...he's got to be expecting kids, right? It worries her because of what her father is known for. She looks up at Percy's peaceful face and smiles, knowing it is truly what she wants.  
She caresses his cheek and his eyes fly open. She giggles and he relaxes at the sound. "Did I startle you?" She asks.  
He chuckles. "No, I am a light sleeper, my Moon."  
"It doesn't seem like it." She points at him and replaces her hand on the side of his face.  
"Maybe not, but I am ready for a threat at an time." He whispers and holds her closer.  
She sighs. "Will you ever truly be able to let go and just relax?"  
His eyes turn dark and he looks away from her with pain on his face. "You do not want me to answer that question, my Moon. It would hurt you to know."  
"Please, tell me. I promise it will not bother me." She begs.  
He shakes his head. "You do not understand. My answer would be devastating to you. I do not want that for you."  
"Percy." She says and he groans at the way she uses his name.  
He looks into her eyes. "I would only be able to relax if I was being tortured again, Artemis. I would know that no one else is being hurt, know that nothing else can happen as long as they are appeased with hurting my soul,and knowing that others are safe because I can make a deal."  
She freezes. "What?"  
He sighs and holds her face in one hand. "There would be one other way, but you would have to push me to get it to really happen. The threat to our world would have to be over. You would have to be completely safe, along with all those I love." his voice breaks on the last word.  
She knows she might have pushed too far, but she sees he is not holding it against her. He wants to give her everything, even if it does hurt her, which he doesn't want. He's at a stalemate until she tells him he's okay. "It's alright, Percy. I am fine. What about you?"  
He nods, not saying anything more. He just holds her closer.  
"What are we going to tell my father? Oh..." Artemis starts and then realizes something.  
Percy starts laughing some as he hears her thoughts. "You mean our father?" He chuckles. "I am adopted, Artemis, not his by blood. I am not even Hera's by blood. I am your adopted sibling, but really I am your cousin." Then he moves to whisper in his ear. "Godly blood doesn't count anyway, not for me. Even though I did get turned into one, it's of my own blood, not Poseidon's. Don't worry about it."  
She calms down some and finds that he is right. "What are we going to tell father though?"  
Percy sighs. "I have no idea. But I will take care of it."  
"And my brother?" Artemis prompts.  
"I'll kill two birds with one stone. You don't have to be in the room when it happens." Percy tells her and she breathes a sigh of relief.  
"I am going anyway." She says and he nods.  
"Do you think Apollo is back by now or would you like to wait until it's nearly impossible for them not to know?" Percy asks, giving her a choice.  
"Let's just get it over with." She gives in. "I won't hear the end of it and neither will you if we don't tell them immediately."  
"Well, we are already one day late. I swear Hera and Hestia already know. Possibly even Aphrodite. Let us hope not." Percy says and is up in the next second on his feet with Artemis in his arms. She laughs. "Come one." He smiles down at her. "I think there are people waiting for us."  
"Okay." Artemis consents.  
He kisses her before pulling away and flashing to the throne room. It surprises the rest of the council that they are back. They were thinking they would be longer. But what surprises them more is that Artemis is being carried instead of walking on her own. Percy sets her down and they both head to their thrones.  
Apollo's eyes narrow at Percy once he looks at him. Percy catches his gaze and then enters his head. 'I plan on talking with you about it after the meeting with your father. I did not plan on hiding it from you or else I would have blocked Artemis and I from your knowledge.' Apollo nods and smiles a little bit, to Percy's amusement.  
"Now that all of us are here, shockingly, we may start the summer solstice meeting for real." Zeus clears his throat. "What is the first order of business?"  
Athena looks at Percy. "Perseus?"  
"What?" Percy raises an eyebrow.  
"What all have you been able to figure out?" Athena asks him.  
Percy sighs and Artemis frowns as she sees his entire guard going back up. "Too much and too little. I have come up with so many possibilities to surmise that only a very few of them might actually be possible. I have also considered the different deities working on the other side and how much they have grown into power. Your daughter," Athena flinches. "Sorry, but Annabeth Chase has grown more powerful since my second visit down in the Pit. Tartarus is more malevolent with Corruption's presence and all the more deadly if one of us should enter again. Almost impossible to escape unless you know how or have my permission to get through my magic, and that's only assuming you can get back to the entrance to the Underworld, let alone get far enough away from the depths of the Pit like Nico and I did.  
They have also knowledge on my being a god now, my domains. Corruption is old and though he is evil, he is wise. He knows things we do before we even realize we know it. He revealed to them what I was when they saw me in that pathetic illusion. That damned magic is so corrupted I didn't remember to look for it until it was almost too late and it cost us dearly." He growls. "They know about the new immortals, but I do not believe Corruption understands what kind they are. I feel him growing stronger. He is able to become a person all on his own, but I sense the intent for a host." He breathes deeply and stops suddenly, looking at the ground and won't look anywhere else.  
Artemis is the first to notice because she knows something is wrong with Percy, but the others are thinking on his words, not caught up with him at the moment. "Perseus, has he decided who he wants as a host?" She gets out and Percy won't look ather.  
"He has." Percy murmurs. This shocks everyone into reality.  
"Who is it?" Athena asks.  
Percy sinks into his throne, still refusing to look at anyone. "He doesn't want it until after the war is over and that is only if he wins." He avoids answering the question.  
"Perseus, tell me, now." Artemis says sternly.  
Percy looks up at her and then back down at the ground. "He wants a pawn at his feet to kneel and come whenever he calls. That's me, but what if I wasn't at his feet, but under his complete control?" Percy looks at her. "Not as a vessel or a host for his power to grow, but to be more powerful and take over that person completely." He seems to stop and then before anyone can say anything. "He wants me as a body to be able to influence the world without the fear of being erased from existence by the Fates. My presence makes him weak. He would have to neutralize my soul and meld it with his. He wouldn't be Corruption and I wouldn't be Perseus anymore. We would be a different person entirely, and if he succeeds in neutralizing me, he would be in control and I would never wake up again." He looks at everybody. "First to break me, then to bind me, and finally to be is what he wants at the end of the war. He will rule using my body and my soul as well as my powers. He could take Artemis if he just wanted a body to be free from Ancient Laws, but he wants my soul in particular. He wants to make slaves out of all of you and then enslave the world as we know it. He will bend it to his will, but...for that to happen, he would have to win this war." He looks at Zeus and seems to steel himself. "I am prepared to do anything to win this war. We will win it, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Nico di Angelo and I have given all of us time to prepare and that is what we all must do.  
Now I must warn you, and i hate to say it, but we will not only be combating someone wise, old, powerful, and nearly all-knowing in strategy, but someone who knows our defenses like the back of her own hand, smarter than all her siblings put together, and a person who can think of any trick to get out of any situation. Her mother and I will be the only two able to outmaneuver her. Apollo can help with that, but not that much. Unlike his sister, he is restricted greatly. We will be hard pressed to stop one of the brightest minds of her generation. I plan on making her fade at the end of this war. She's smartenough to know the weaknesses of the immortals once she learns them." Percy snaps his fingers and all of the Guardiansappear, along with all of the Protectors. "Guardians and Protectors, in time, you must be ready to stop an expected threat to those you serve. Protectors, the symbols will be major targets in the coming threat. I ask you, to find Tenders to help you watch over the symbols you protect for your Guardians, your immortals, and your gods. You will be a vital point in this war. If it is stolen, get it back, if it is destroyed, restore it, and if it is under attack, defend it. Guardians, your gods will be targeted to get you away from the war, distract you. Stay at there sides as much as possible, watch for anything, and never let your guards down." Percy tells them and they all turn more serious. "The majority of you know who Annabeth Chase is, correct?" Nearly all of them nod and Percy explains quickly for those who do not. "The mastermind behind the enemy lines. Do not underestimate her. Protectors, do you know what you can do for the symbols if it is nearly impossible to defend?" He looks at the group.  
"We can take the symbol to the Realm and keep it stable there. We are able to carry any symbol we protect and keep it there. We have to use our light." Teliria answers first. Her knowledge about being a Protector more prominent since she guards over the God of Protectors's symbol.  
Percy nods. "Yes."  
"How is Dadarios going to take a tree with him?" Ares asks.  
Dadarios grins and holds out his hands, a tiny version of the tree forming in his hands. "We store the symbol in our light and carry it with us." He makes sure the tree returns to where it was. "It doesn't matter the size. And other Protectors guard over material things that don't require several versions to populate the world, it is just one single object for Malath to guard. He can just carry it with him wherever he goes and help another Protector keep a light going for the symbol in which they watch over. It depends on what symbol you guard. Like, for Lord Zeus, it is his weapon, so it is normally with him and so is his Protector. If Zeus should fall, which is unlikely, that Protector would take his symbol and hide with it and protect it. He could also use it tobring the god back. So can his Guardian." Dadarios explains easily.  
"It is a system created by our patron so that there is always a way to save something instead of just letting it die out." Malath grins. "We would keep it in our homes in the Realm of the Moon. There are altars there for the symbols so that we may keep them up even if we are weakened severely. We cannot die until the symbol we guard is destroyed."  
"Amazing." Athena breathes and looks at Percy, who is sinking into his throne. "How come you did not inform us?"  
"It is too complicated to explain to some people and then it takes forever to go through every single little detail. All Guardians have my blessing and then the blessing of those they guard. All Protectors have my blessing and that blessing of whoever's symbol they protect. All Companions have my blessing and that of those they are connected to. Which reminds me." Percy sighs and summons all of the Companions that weren't already in the room. "Protectors, you also have Companions that will help you guard. So will your the Tenders. But there aren't any yet. So, I will bestow upon you your Companions." Percy comes down from his throne and places a hand on Teliria's forehead, a white snake appearing around her feet that slithers up to her hands and arms. She pets it.  
Percy moves over to Dadarios and places his hand on the Protector's forehead, his eyes and hand glowing again. A hawk appears on his shoulder. Next is Malath, who is bonded with a black cheetah with white spots. "In all the confusion and pressed time, I forgot to give you three your Companions. Forgive me for being so forgetful. The rest got theirs because they were being assigned at the same time. You were already assigned and I was working on something else or grieving." Then Percy addresses all of them. "I hope all of you find Tenders, many of them. I wish those whose symbol you guard help you with it. Find them and then call on me."  
"How do we know who is worthy?" Teliria asks.  
"You will know. It is within your power to tell." Percy smiles warmly. "I will send you all back to continue your duties. Be wary of anyone who enters or even comes near the place where you defend the symbol you are meant to guard."  
He snaps his fingers and they return to where they were. The Guardians head to the sides of those they protect or wherever they were before. The Companions follow after those they love or were flashed away with those if they were meant to be.  
"Nico." Percy says and Nico is at his side in a second, waiting for him to say something. "Start searching."  
Nico's eyes darken and his expression turns absolutely serious. "Right away."  
Then Nico's Hellhound turns into his human form. "We will find them." They both shadow travel in separate directions to start looking for whatever it is Percy wants them to look for.  
"What are they looking for, Perseus?" Hera asks.  
"The other ends of the entrances to Tartarus and the Underworld. Once they find them, we will seal them." Percy answers.  
"Nico's Companion has magic?" Athena asks.  
"Yes, whichever Guardians have magic, their Companion has that same magic, abilities, and other talents. Companions are like copies of those they are bonded to, just with their own little personalities so you are able to tell the difference." Percy replies.  
"Why do you have girl Companions?" Hephaestus asks.  
Percy sighs and snaps his fingers. A small fuzzball of a bobcat appears on the floor. It is on its feet in the next second and staring up at Percy. Percy crouches down before it and holds his hand out to it. The little bobcat sniffs at it experimentally and then brightens considerably. It bumps its nose against Percy's hand and Percy smiles at it. They both glow navy blue in an explosion of light and when the light fades, the baby bobcat is a small boy. Everyone gasps at the sight of the boy. He looks exactly like a smaller version of Percy. Percy sighs and turns into a seven year old like his Companion.  
"Hello, Arthur." Percy says.  
Arthur grins and speaks in the exact same voice. "Hello, Lord."  
"There is no need to call me Lord, my friend." Percy tells him.  
Arthur looks excited. "Truly?" Then he hugs Percy, but pulls away quickly, not one for hugs and neither is Percy. Percy chuckles. "You called upon me sooner than should have been expected."  
"Yes, I know. You may still grow though. I will not take that away from you." Percy says.  
Arthur looks happy. "I sense I have sisters and many missing others. Brothers and sisters both."  
"Delilah, Asale." Percy calls and those two are at his side in the next second.  
"Hello, brother." Delilah greets him.  
"Greetings, sister." Arthur says.  
Asale jumps on Arthur and hugs him. "Yay! Hi!"  
Arthur just goes with it and hugs her back. "You are my age?"  
"A little older actually." Asale pulls back and smiles at him. "I am Asale and this is big sister Delilah." Asale points at herself and then Delilah.  
Arthur smiles warmly. "I am Arthur."  
"Delilah, I trust you can handle searching while these two stay with me." Percy looks at his oldest Companion.  
Delilah grins, kisses his cheek, and then runs out of the throne room. Percy laughs as she leaves. "I sense someone else bonded to you in a different way." Arthur comments and looks at Percy. "Many little lights flooding around both of you."  
Percy nods. "Yes. We are aware. Do you have my memories?"  
Arthur turns serious. "I do. Do my sisters?"  
"Delilah does, but Asale is still growing to acquire them. It will be soon though." Percy answers evenly.  
Arthur takes ahold of Asale's hand and doesn't let go. Asale giggles and enjoys holding hands with her brother.  
"You two should go to the Realm and explore together. Go have fun. I will remain here." Percy tells them.  
"Okay!" Asale says and drags Arthur out of the throne room.  
Percy grows into a fourteen year old again and returns to his throne. "There. My other Companions will come in time."  
"I notice that the girls look the same as each other and the boy looks exactly like you. The others, will this happen to them?" Athena points out.  
Percy chuckles. "Yes."  
"Good luck with that, Artemis." Aphrodite giggles.  
"There are ways to tell the difference between my Companions and I." Percy tells Aphrodite. "She won't have trouble telling which one is me."  
"Just how many Companions do you have?" Hestia asks.  
Percy shrugs. "I have no idea."  
"Anything else we need to meet about?" Zeus asks and there is silence.  
Percy speaks just before Zeus can end it. "I think we need more time to gather more information. If we find anything else out, we should convene then, but until there is more to know, we are stuck at square one."  
"We have made some progress. It is no longer square one." Athena says.  
"You are right." Apollo sighs.  
"This is war. A war that will decide the fate of the world." Ares looks at all of them.  
"Not only that, this will decide the course of wars to come. If we win, this will be the last war unless another being comes if we lose, we would have to rebel." Percy says.  
Everyone looks grim. "Then we will win." Artemis speaks up.  
Zeus nods, knowing that is the final matter. "Meeting adjourned." 


	38. Chapter 38

Point of View: Perseus Jackson Everybody but Apollo flashes out, but I speak up before Zeus can. "Lord Zeus." I call.  
Zeus looks at me and I come down from my throne. I walk over to his and he shrinks and comes down to talk with me. Apollo comes over and waits patiently.  
"What is it, Perseus?" Zeus asks, seeing my somewhat nervous expression.  
Artemis comes to stand at my side and takes my hand, making Zeus and Apollo both smile.  
"Well, it's about Artemis. We have something to tell you and we found out on the honeymoon. Ar-" Zeus raises his hand and I stop.  
"I understand, say no more." Zeus says.  
"But you didn't let me finish." I say confused.  
"If she is happy with you and wants them, then it is her decision. I knew it could happen when she married you. Not to mention she has wanted them for a long while now. I do not mind more grandchildren, especially immortal ones. It might even liven up this old city. The people have been a little...downcast lately. Perhaps with the news and the additions, they might cheer up a little. I like you and I think you are perfect for my daughter. I have no qualms. They will not be harmed." Zeus says.  
"It would be nice to have some nieces and nephews for once." Apollo smiles.  
"You sound like they'll have many kids." Zeus looks at Apollo.  
"I would like them to have many children." Apollo tells Zeus.  
Percy clears his throat and Artemis is turning red from both anger and embarrassment. "Um..." I chuckle a little strangely. "That's why I wanted you to let me finish. Artemis isn't having one child."  
Apollo beams. "Twins?" I shake my head. "Triplets?" Apollo looks happier.  
"No." Artemis squeaks.  
"Nine." I say almost inaudibly. "We are having nine kids."  
Apollo and Zeus's jaws drop. The silence is killing Artemis, I can tell. "Well? Say something." Artemis mumbles.  
"Sweet!" Apollo smiles hugely. "I can't wait to see them." He hugs his older sister and swings her around laughing.  
Zeus just puts a hand on my shoulder. "I think she'll be happy with them. What about you?"  
I nod and smile a little. "I am just worried for her to be honest. I have always wanted them, but when I...when Annabeth brought me to Tartarus and I lost what life I had dreamed of, I came to terms with the fact that I might never have them. I love the fact that now I will, but I am still nervous at what Artemis thinks."  
Zeus nods. "I see. How are your emotions?" He asks me while the twins talk.  
"Still jumbled up in a bunch. Another trip to the Pit has mad the process longer or I would have been fine by now. I think Corruption made it worse." I answer.  
"Interesting. How long do you think until they are finished?" Zeus replies.  
"Only time may tell." I sigh. "I wish they would stop, not only for my sake, but for everyone else's."  
Zeus chuckles. "You sound tired."  
I nod. "I am. I don't think I have had enough sleep to heal properly and dealing with the twisting emotions do not help matters. It is very tiring."  
"I hope it ends soon." Zeus tells me.  
"Thank you." I smile warmly and he nods. "I have another agenda on my plate that has waited too long now." I sigh and he looks at me quizzically. "Poseidon. I am going to go speak with him."  
Zeus brightens. "Go." He pushes me.  
I walk through the throne room and come to stop at the doors. I look back and see Artemis is now talking with her brother and her father. I open the doors to find Poseidon on the other side. I close them behind me and walk until I am stopped in front of him, but not facing him.  
He starts to speak. "Per-"  
"May I speak with you?" I ask quietly.  
His face lights up. "Of course." He tells me gently.  
I continue forward and he walks beside me. Waiting for me to speak and letting me take my time. I appreciate it. I lead him into one of the gardens and move further until we are at the dead center of it. When I stop, so does he. I turn to him and keep my eyes on the ground.  
I breathe deeply and then look up at him. "I realize that you never meant to hurt me like you did, but that doesn't change the fact that you still did it."  
"Perc-" He tries.  
"I'm not done." I shake my head. "This is hard enough, just let me finish. Please." He nods. "It hurt worse than anything you can imagine. You did something I thought you could never do and the sea stayed with me to comfort me and be someone for me, unlike you. I do not know when you made the decision that disowning me was wrong, but it was so painful for me along with everything else." Tears start to form in my eyes, damn it all. "When I came back," My voice sounds watery and he looks concerned. "I resented you, spited you. I didn't want you near me, especially after being down there and knowing what you had done to me. The sea never left me alone in the dark like you did and after living so long with mom through that dark, and then losing her, it was pure agony on my soul. I didn't want to lose another father." I say and wipe at my eyes. "I hated the man who left my mother and I to that drunken bastard. And I hated him even more than an absent father I never knew because of some Ancient Law. Then I lost Chiron to a half-brother I had done nothing to and that only wanted the glory I never mentioned. Paul died and you disowned me after I thought you loved me. When you reclaimed me, I felt all that pain again and I hated you for it. You had done nothing to help me and just restaked your claim on the son who brought you honor. The love and sorrow I saw was what deterred me. I didn't want it." My voice breaks at the last sentence. "Not after everything. It reminded me too much of what I so badly wanted and from someone who had already broken my heart more than once. Abandonment, betrayal, pain. All that I thought about when I came back and saw you." I tell him.  
"And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spited you or hated you. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it. Not after living through all that I have. My soul shouldn't let me do that sort of thing, but I have been alone, miserable, and shattered into too many pieces. I have been messed with and tortured and beaten into everything, including hating you. Everything has worn against me and Iam so sorry. I am just broken when it comes to something like having a father." I say and he hugs me. I finally just let him back in and cry into his chest.  
He shushes me. "It is my fault in the first place. I should be the one apologizing and I already knew everything. You don't have to say you're sorry. I understand and you're wrong. It is right for you to feel that way about me. I should have known better andbelieved in the son that would do anything for me and not take the claim of doing it."  
I just nod as I sob into his chest and he comforts me.  
Point of View: Poseidon Seeing him in this form, I feel like he is still so young and vulnerable. But no, this is just a moment of weakness he wouldn't normally show and he is so much older. He is my age after so much pain and I need to be there for him like I should have been long ago. That law was put in place by us and we can abolish it.  
My little boy, grown up so fast.  
My son, so brave and so pained.  
My flesh and blood, finally free. 


	39. Chapter 39

Point of View: Third Person After the little episode with his father, Percy heads to the Realm of the Moon. He walks clear to his home in the Valley of the Hunt. When he walks through the doors, he heads straight to his room and just looks at the bigger bed.  
He sighs. "Artemis." He murmurs. He smiles a little. "Looks like it will be different from here on in. I couldn't bear to lose her now. It would be worse than before." He whispers.  
He sits down on the bed and then lays down. He looks up at the ceiling, contemplating over everything. It's only a couple hours later when he feels a light pressure on the bed beside him.  
"Thinking again, my Guardian?" Artemis asks him.  
He sighs and turns his head to gaze at her, her eyes melting his tension immediately. She smiles at the effect. "I am always thinking, my Moon. There is not much in the way of stopping me. I am needed."  
She smiles. "It is time you rested. Let others worry along with you. I know you want to spare others and bear the burdens from their shoulders, but you cannot do it alone. It is impossible."  
I chuckle and shake my head. "Not impossible for me, but I will try. It is hard to not help others." He wraps his arms around her. "Especially those that I love," He whispers. "With all my heart." He kisses her.  
She smiles into it and he jumps a little as she touches his old Achilles' Heel with moonlight.  
"Artemis." He says breathless.  
"I never showed you because it was nerve racking before. Now that I am used to it, I can show you." She says.  
"I thought you wanted me to sleep." He laughs.  
She sighs. "I do."  
"What do you want?" He asks her.  
"For you to sleep." She grumbles.  
This makes him chuckle. "I think you need to sleep as well."  
She snuggles into him further, burrowing into his warmth. He holds her closer and smiles.  
When she is close to sleep and so is he, he asks a question. "Are you sure you want them?"  
Artemis looks up at him tiredly and kisses his cheek as she smiles. "Absolutely."  
Her answer warms his heart and his eyes flutter closed. She smiles and kisses his cheek again, watching him sleep. Even in his younger form that he switches into, he still looks older and more mature than you could ever think him, but when he is sleeping, he looks so young and like nothing in the world could make him grow up. She closes her eyes and falls asleep, entrapped in his embrace.  
~The Next Morning~ The huntresses all look in to see their patrons and Phoebe and Thalia come inside first before others follow. Still some others standing in the doorway. Thalia shakes Artemis and she looks up at her. Artemis glances at Percy to find him still sleeping. She slips from his hold and climbs off of the bed.  
"Milady, is he alright?" Atalanta asks.  
Artemis nods. "He is still healing. Leave him be. He is finally resting."  
Everyone nods and files out into the dining room where brunch waits for them. They all thank Naisha and begin a conversation.  
"Is it the emotions and all that has been going on?" Thalia asks.  
"Yes. He has not gotten the chance to rest and still has so much more to take care of as a new god. He will not be here all day today from what he told me." Artemis sighs.  
"Oh? What all is there left for him to do?" Phoebe asks.  
"I don't even want to get into that. Just some details he needs done, plus he is on high alert for Nico and the others. More, so much more to do." Artemis looks sad.  
"His emotions ride higher than yesterday and are fluctuating more freely." Tiffany states.  
"He talked with Poseidon yesterday." Artemis admits.  
"What?!" Thalia drops her fork.  
Artemis nods with a brooding look on her face. "Yes, he finally got all that out of his system. We also had news to tell my father and brother. So, that plus Poseidon probably is the cause of his sleeping off the emotion high."  
Everybody nods thoughtfully. "So, when do you think he will wake up?" Jade asks.  
"Who knows?" Artemis shrugs. "Depends on how much he plans on healing and if he won't awaken until fully mended. Could be later today or tomorrow or a couple days from now." She says as she eats slowly.  
"What did you speak to dad about?" Thalia asks curiously.  
"I am...how to best explain this?" Artemis muses.  
"My lady," Atalanta looks flabbergasted. "Are you with child?"  
Artemis nods. "Yes and no."  
This confuses them all. "How can that be?"  
"I am pregnant, yes, but not with one child." Artemis tells them and they all smile.  
"How many? Twins like you and Lord Apollo?" Phoebe beams at her.  
"Uh, no. Not even close." Artemis shakes her head and they all look at her strangely. "Nine children."  
"How can you tell?" Jade asks.  
"I am not mortal and the souls are already tied to both Perseus and I." Artemis says.  
~Four Hours Later~ "Is he still not up and about?" Phoebe asks Artemis in worry.  
Artemis shakes her head as she comes out of the bedroom. "Hasn't even moved. He must be more tired than he let on." She sighs.  
"I am sure he will be fine, milady." Thalia reassures her.  
~The Next Day~ Artemis blinks her eyes open to find herself in the same position she was in before when she crawled back into his arms. She watches his stress free face and enjoys it. She feels the girls are already going about their day and is glad they let her be with him.  
After another two and a half hours, he wakes up and breathes deeply as he starts to move. He sits up and then looks down at Artemis.  
"Morning sleepy." Artemis giggles and she sits up to lean against him.  
He just looks at her for a few minutes and then smiles. "Morning." He finally answers.  
"You do realize you were asleep for two days, right?" Artemis asks.  
His eyes widen. "What? Crap!" He says, but she pulls him back down on the bed before he can get up completely.  
She giggles. "Calm down, nothing happened."  
He nods and lets her pull him back down on the bed. "Okay. How are you?"  
"I am great." She smiles hugely.  
He nods and rubs a hand across his face. He blinks as he looks around the room. "I feel a little different today." He comments and stares at the wall.  
She looks at him. "How so?"  
"Like a weight is gone." He admits. "Maybe it was my admittance of my feelings to my father and accepting the fact that he still loves me." He sighs. "And sleeping off a lot of everything probably helped. I feel awake and hyper."  
"Do you absolutely have to go?" Artemis whines.  
Percy looks at her with a raised eyebrow. "Is something wrong?" He pulls her closer.  
She shakes her head. "You're a workaholic. Spend some time with me." Percy looks upset. "I am sorry." "Oh, no! You didn't hurt my feelings." She backtracks and he seems to shake it off. "What would you like to do?" Percy asks her.  
"How much work do you have to do today?" She asks him.  
"I only have to visit Teliria and help Nico if he should call on me." Percy answers.  
She sighs. "Okay. But hurry up." She groans as she falls back onto the bed.  
He chuckles. "Someone's impatient." He flashes out before she can say anything and she grumbles to herself. He makes Teliria his official Protector Lieutenant and Arthur his official Companion Lieutenant. He helps Teliria grow his symbol even faster and helps her plant the next one in places where there is room in the graveyard. Dadarios calls on him and he names a mortal Tender for the Verafold. A boy of fourteen named Samuel Jahanason. Then he flashes back to his room in the Valley of the Hunt. Artemis is staring at the ceiling. He leans in the doorway. "So, am I the only busy god these days?"  
She jumps and looks over at him frowning playfully. "You're a new god, of course you are busy. I have everything done already. All I have to wait for is for a job to do for the war." "So, what do you want to do?" Percy asks.  
"Come lay down with me." She tells him.  
He laughs and comes to sit next to her. "I think you should get up."  
"I don't want to get up unless you are going to come with me somewhere." She says.  
"Alright." He replies and lays next to her.  
"You are in an older form." She points out.  
"So are you. Your emotions are easy to read, Artemis." He connects his mind with hers. "Especially when I do this."  
"It feels different." She wonders.  
"I wonder why." He chuckles quietly. 


	40. Chapter 40

This is going to be a long chapter guys ok _Point of View: Third Person (Because Percy is FREAKING OUT!)  
~Three Months Later~ 'Percy!' Nico is in Percy's head.  
'What is it Nico?' Percy replies.  
'I found one!' Nico says hurriedly. 'Big guy next to it though. Looks like a Titan, but I can't get close enough to tell. Very powerful magic and breaking it will drain me big time and draw the attention of the big guy.'  
'I will come.' Percy tells him.  
Percy flashes to where he senses his Guardian and Nico points at the big man guarding a hole in a mountain with his arms crossed. "It looks like a smaller version of Typhon." Percy mutters.  
"My thoughts exactly." Nico answers.  
"Maybe the magic of the barrier." Percy's eyes glow and the illusion dissipates. "It is Hyperion. He is not too challenging, my Guardian. I will break the magic over this mountain." Percy places his hand on the barrier.  
As the barrier comes down and Percy mutters under his breath to break the magic, Nico readies himself to deal with Hyperion while Percy concentrates on bringing down the protective shield. Percy mutters in an old language and is startled to notice how old the magic he is breaking is. He sees why Nico was worried about being drained of his energy.  
It only takes Hyperion a few seconds to realize someone is trying to bring down the shield. He locates the main source and Percy is able to make an opening for Nico to go through, letting it close back up so he can better deal with the spell over the mountain.  
Nico battles Hyperion and watches carefully, noticing a recent increase in power for the Titan is around his soul. Not to mention newly raised. Very newly. They must have used a lot of power to get the Titan on the surface world to cast the spell and guard over an entrance until they can find it on the other side. Nico calculates everything and gauges everything about his opponent warily.  
Percy brings down the barrier and joins Nico in his fight with Hyperion, analyzing as well as the air around the Titan makes him aware.  
"How do you have the knowledge and the magic to break my spell?!" Hyperion bellows at Percy.  
But Nico beheads the Titan, silencing him. "Let us capture his soul." Percy murmurs and his hands start to glow as well as hiseyes as he holds them over Hyperion's body. "To keep this immortal from being evil once more, I agree to bring him under my domain and into my power." Percy says in a celestial voice.  
Hyperion's eyes blink open, after his head reattaches itself to his body, as Percy's eyes stop glowing. Hyperion kneels before Percy. "Command me, Lord."  
Nico watches in amazement.  
"Come with me to Olympus, young Hyperion." Percy says.  
Coming from a fourteen year old form, Nico has to contain his laughter.  
Hyperion rises and follows Percy willingly, letting Percy flash him to Olympus, along with Nico.  
The other Olympians immediately flash in at the presence of a Titan in their throne room. Ares is the first to act and lashes out with his sword as he lunges. Hyperion isn't going to defend himself, but Percy intercepts with his own blade. "Stand down, Ares."  
Ares looks livid. "He is a Titan!"  
"I am well aware of the kind of immortal he is." Percy informs him.  
"Then stand aside!" Ares pushes back.  
"Give me a moment to explain." Percy shoves Ares back.  
Ares huffs, but stays away, keeping his sword drawn just in case. "What is the meaning of this, Perseus?" Zeus asks in a stern voice.  
"My Guardian called on me to help him seal a breach into either the Underworld or Tartarus. But when I arrived, there was a spell over the mountain in which it lay. To break the spell would have wearied him greatly and left him nearly defenseless in the face of Hyperion. I broke the barrier and as Nico killed Hyperion, I made a decision. I have control over the Titan's soul. To keep him from Corruption, I bound him to my power and swore to take him in. He will now fight for our cause and he will not raise a hand to any of you. I ask that you do not harm him in return. He cannot and will not fight back should you attack him. He would be a great asset and benefit to the war. He can provide information as well. Though I may not approve of his past deeds and in your eyes there may be no atoning for his sins, I would like you all to give him one last and final chance. He is good, purified. He can help us and he is willing to set things right if you let him." Percy tells them all.  
Zeus grumbles under his breath. "Is this true, Hyperion?"  
"Yes, Lord Zeus." Hyperion answers without hesitation, surprising the gods.  
"Who believes Perseus's words and agrees to what he has said?" Zeus asks.  
Everyone, even Ares and Athena, raise their hand.  
"Then it is settled." Zeus looks at Percy with a proud light in his eyes and a kind smile on his face. "The Titan is deemed safe and will be considered an ally. In time, should he prove what you said is true, may he one day be considered a close friend."  
"Thank you, Lord Zeus." Percy bows his head. He turns to Hyperion. "Under my protection, you may entire the Realm of the Moon and your light will not bother it. I warn you to not go around anyone, lest they be Selene and Ezekeiel, or you will be entering hostile territory. Your safe haven until I may help you find your place, will be at the combined symbols of mine and my predecessor's." Percy tells him.  
Hyperion bows. "Yes, Lord."  
Percy places his palm on Hyperion's forehead and it glows with light. Hyperion doesn't even flinch at the searing fire of moonlight and starlight together branding him. When Percy's hand moves away, the skin is red around a mark. The Airia blesses Hyperion's forehead. "So you may better walk among the Realm. Do be careful, young Hyperion."  
Hyperion grins and walks out after expressing his gratitude to Percy and bowing to him.  
Percy turns to Nico. "Let us take care of the opening, my Guardian."  
"Return here once finished." Zeus says.  
"Yes, father." Percy replies before flashing out with Nico.  
It takes a matter of an hour to seal and contain the magic, then another half an hour to shield it with their own magic. After they are done, Percy flashes them back to the throne room. "Return to the search. Begin again and take another route. They do not pop up idly by each other. Some even move. Once found, call upon me again." Nico nods before flashing out on his own.  
Percy takes to his throne.  
"What risks have you taken by making Hyperion a part of your power?" Athena asks the question Artemis wanted to.  
"All it means is that he is under my care and my protection, but he will protect me and anything I love with his life. By part of my power, he is only under my purification and anything that would try to twit it back, would have to fight of my purity before it getsto his. You may look at him as a servant, but really he is a guard, a warrior. He will fight to the death if ordered to. But he will only listen to Artemis or I." Percy explains.  
"Why Artemis?" Dionysus asks, intrigued.  
"She is my wife and bound to me in one of the most oldest of ways. Even Titans respect the ways of old. They will not refute any of them, as eager as they may be to do so." Percy answers easily.  
"How did you bind him to you exactly? Who or what did you swear to?" Poseidon asks.  
Percy sighs. "The Fates themselves. They will take it very seriously and so will I." He says in a deadly calm voice.  
The tone he uses leaves out no question. "How did you do that?" Hera asks.  
"I connected with them by my power. They willingly connect with me because of my soul and how I use my powers. Granted, they will never leave me be, but I have come to terms with that. I had after the second war, but I was too afraid to admit that I was a prisoner of destiny. It seems to follow me like my shadow. It can never be forsaken, only passed on and rarely so." Percy speaks.  
"I sense a little white lie in your words, brother." Apollo smirks.  
Percy just looks at him in pure boredom. "And what would that be?"  
"You didn't swear to the Fates." Apollo states, not asks.  
"You are correct. I didn't." Percy nods. "I swore to Ananke."  
Everybody freezes at his words. "Why?" Hestia asks warmly.  
"It felt right and I feel I am better able to follow her path than the Fates." Percy shrugs.  
"She takes those very seriously. A fate worse than Tartarus would befall you should it go awry." Artemis seethes.  
"I have no intention of breaking any oath, as you are well aware. It would shatter my soul again and we wouldn't want that. I would die from that alone and scatter myself." Percy reminds her and she smiles a little weakly.  
"Sometimes I wonder why you were chosen." Artemis laughs somewhat concernedly.  
"We may never get the answer." Percy chuckles.  
"What will Hyperion do?" Ares asks grudgingly.  
"For now, I will have to find something for him to do." Percy sighs as he rubs a hand over his face.  
"May I suggest something?" Demeter speaks up in a quiet voice.  
"Of course. What did you have in mind?" Percy looks over at her kindly, making the old goddess smile.  
"Artemis will soon give birth to your children. They will certainly be targeted by the enemy as they will be young and ignorant. Perhaps Hyperion could protect them. Be their Keeper. Like nymphs have done for some gods that walk amongst us now." Demeter makes her suggestion to Percy.  
Percy smiles. "Only if Artemis approves of it. They are hers as well. If she is uncomfortable with it, then it will not be."  
Artemis thinks it over for a little while. "I think it is a splendid idea. If you say he is perfectly good now, then I won't argue with that. As long as he keeps them safe, I do not mind."  
Percy smiles and nods. "Hyperion." He says the name like a command and in a bursting, bright flash of light, Hyperion is kneeling in front of Percy. Sensing his intent, he turns to Artemis and walks over to her, staring up at her. She comes down somewhat reluctantly.  
What surprises everyone is how gentle he is as he places his hand lightly on Artemis's swelling abdomen. "I sense many littleones. Nine little powerful gods and goddesses. Just as powerful as their father, the strongest of the Olympians." Hyperion seems to mull over something. "Six boys and three girls. The boys look like their father and the girls their mother. Almost identical, but easy to tell apart should there be time."  
"How can you tell?" Artemis asks as a few tears trail down her face.  
"Old magic. Very old. Just before mother went insane." Hyperion says.  
"Thank you." Percy says as he comes down to stand next to his wife.  
"Soon." Hyperion nods. "Very soon."  
"What?" Artemis asks.  
"Humans use a phrase...ah...your water will break." He tells her.  
"Oh." Artemis looks guilty.  
Percy chuckles. "I am not mad. I already knew."  
Artemis looks surprised and her head snaps up to see Percy smiling as he looks at the doors. "For how long?"  
"Since you have. They are early birds. You might want to lie down, my Moon." Percy looks down at her with a warm expression.  
She nods and looks at Athena. "I have everything set up. I guessed just in case. Come, sister." Athena nods. Artemis follows Athena out.  
Percy turns to Apollo. "She does not want me in there, you will have to do it."  
"How could you help?" Ares asks curiously.  
Aphrodite snorts. "He is the Guardian of the Goddess of Childbirth, he could help more than Apollo, but Apollo is allowed to go in."  
Ares turns red in embarrassment. "How soon?"  
"Well, I know the exact time, but she only knows it's going to be today." Percy says awkwardly. Apollo stares at him. "In about an hour and it's going to last for a long while." Percy looks very tired as he grows into his 20 year old form.  
"Perhaps I can help, Lady Artemis." Hyperion muses. "Old magic is very sensitive to the bringing of new life. It will smile upon your children. Rhea would do best with it, but alas, she now resides in Tartarus."  
"Mother is in Tartarus?!" Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades bellow and are in Hyperion's face in the next second. The daughters stand next to Percy in worry for their mother. The sons demanding answers.  
Hyperion looks to Percy for help and Percy gets in between Hyperion and the Big Three. "Calm yourselves!" He calls louder than they.  
"But-!" Hades starts.  
"It does her no good to be yelling at the man who can give you answers. This will be settled calmly." Percy cuts across him in an even tone. "Now," Percy turns to Hyperion, who looks grateful. "Will you please explain?"  
Hyperion nods eagerly. "Sister was brought down while I was being risen. She was taken into the Magnerium and-"  
Percy hisses. "Why would they take her there?"  
"Same thing for you. But more to get her to answer questions or to keep her prisoner." Hyperion replies.  
"What is the Magnerium?" Ares asks perplexed.  
"It's like the high security prison for Tartarus. It's the master torture containment unit, meant to break anyone or anything. Either they keep her there to make sure she is out of our reach or they are doing things to her you don't want to know about. Either way, that place is bad news. The very air there chokes you and can bring any strong person to their knees. It fights against your soul and what you live for. If you don't have a purpose, it makes it so much worse." Percy answers. "Its name is in the Old Tongue. It means, Punishment. You would think it cliche, but it's no joke once you enter. It truly is torment."  
Everyone but Percy and Hyperion pale. "I heard she was only taken their for imprisoning means. They found her in one of thelast Wild places. I could only catch a little bit of the explanation, but as far as I got in it before I was zapped up here, she is there to be out of reach of the Olympians." Hyperion continues in the silence.  
"Can we get her out?" Zeus looks at me desperately, they all do.  
Percy sighs. "There is a way, but I cannot guarantee it will work. It will require time. I-"  
"How much time?" Hades interrupts.  
"There is no certain-" Percy tries again.  
"Just tell us!" Poseidon says fretfully.  
"I would if you would stop interrupting me!" Percy shouts and they all quiet down. "Now, there is no telling how long this method could take. It could be days or weeks. But it cannot be done if I am bothered even in the slightest. The magic I would be usingis very delicate. It would be easier to just go down there, sneak in, and flash out. Then I could sleep off the rebounds if Corruption were to inflict damage upon me like last time. But, there is no telling what he has done since Nico and I left. I must resort to magic to save grandmother Rhea."  
"What kind of magic?" Zeus asks.  
"Powerful and the way I am using it will be very tiring. It would look like I was sitting in a comatose like state. But to even come near me would mean breaking the spell. You cannot interfere." Percy warns them.  
"We will not. What do you need?" Hades assures him.  
"Me, myself, and I." Percy tells him and smirks.  
Hades scowls. "I will keep anyone from disrupting your magic." He sighs.  
"When will you start?" Zeus asks hopefully.  
"After I see my children come into the world and make sure my loving wife is healthy." Percy tells him.  
Everyone nods in understanding and Hera and Hestia push their way to him. "Can we hold our grandchildren?"  
Percy smiles. "Of course. They have to come first." He chuckles.  
"Come on, child." Hera giggles and she puts an arm around Percy's waist. "Let us go make sure Artemis is alright."  
"Oh, what will you name them?" Hestia asks as the mothers and their son walk along, voices fading as they draw farther and farther away. Hyperion tags along behind them, sticking close to Percy.  
"Artemis and I definitely want to name a girl Zoe after our lost friend and she agreed to let me name a boy Luke." Percy looks happy and it melts both hearts of the goddesses. "The others we decided to name as we go."  
"That's going to be a lot of names." Hera laughs.  
"Perhaps it will be fun." Hestia muses.  
"i think you two will spoil the little ones to death, but I will not refrain you from doing so. It's not every day you get grandchildren." He laughs freely and Hera pats his back.  
"Hush, now." She smiles.  
"It is not everyday we get immortal grandchildren from our adopted son or from Artemis." Hestia corrects him. "This will be the greatest event of the millennia."  
"Let us hope so." Percy agrees.  
"Yes, the wedding wasn't great enough." Hera giggles after rolling her eyes.  
They enter the building and Percy comes to Artemis's bedside. He holds her hand and sits on the edge of the bed, waiting. "Are you nervous?" Artemis asks.  
"I figured I should be the one asking you that question." He chuckles softly.  
They are alone in the room.  
"But are you nervous about having kids?" She presses.  
He looks at her. "Absolutely not." He kisses her cheek. "They are coming from the most beautiful goddess to ever walk the face of this Earth. I cannot be nervous if it involves you. Not anymore. Especially if they are going to be like you."  
"And you, too. they will be mainly like you because of your soul, your fatal flaw." Artemis comments.  
"Calm down, Artemis. You are going to be fine." Percy tells her gently. "I know they will have my fatal flaw, I can already sense it in the making."  
"But, Percy-" Artemis starts.  
"My Moon," Percy breathes and brings his face close to hers. "All will be well. You are one of the strongest people I know. You will always find a way to pull through."  
"I'm scared." She whispers.  
He kisses her. "I know. It is only natural." He says as he pulls away. He lets his hand shimmer with moonlight and starlight mixed together and makes it relax her. "You will be fine. I know you will."  
She nods and smiles at his caring touch, but then she concentrates on something. "Uh..."  
"Athena." Percy says in a regular voice.  
Athena, Apollo, and Hyperion flash in and start to move towards Artemis.  
"I will go." He starts to get up, but Artemis keeps him standing by the bed.  
"Don't leave me." She whispers.  
Percy smiles a little. "Never." He promises.  
~Ten Hours Later~ Percy is siting beside Artemis, holding her hand. "It's over, Artemis. They are all out. Look." Percy lets go of her hand as he gives her a baby girl.  
He walks over to the door and whispers, "You can come in. Quietly, though." Then he comes over to Athena and hands two little bundles, both blue, to Hestia as she comes to stand beside Artemis. Then hands another two blue swathed babies to Hera. He hands one boy to Zeus and the other to Poseidon. Then takes the other two girls into his arms from Hyperion. He looks down at them with tears in his eyes and a wide smile on his face. Immortal babies will grow up so fast, he knows he has to make it count.  
He walks over and sits back down next to Artemis. Hyperion senses it and gets the babies out of Percy's hands as he doubles over. Artemis starts to freak out and then see Percy has silent streams of tears running down his face. He chokes out, "Oh my gods." And covers his face with his hands.  
"What's wrong?" Artemis frets.  
"They're all reborn as my children." Percy sobs.  
"What?" Athena asks.  
Hades studies the children and takes another look at their souls. "Ah, I see now." Everybody looks to him, not Percy as he weeps, for answers. "He is the God of Rebirth. That feeling of uncertainty about the little souls attached to him and Artemis confusing him, were the dead souls of his past friends. All died in the first war of his lifetime. The children, are all art of the rebirth cycle and became his own children. The Fates blocked him and I from knowing until the event came to pass. They will not know who they were, but the Fates will allow him to restore their memories. However, I sense he will not force them to remember, but ask them if they would like to receive the memories to know how they died before. It would be their choice to become who they once were, with the twist of being the children of Artemis and Perseus."  
Everybody looks shocked and then sad.  
"Percy." Artemis calls softly.  
Percy looks at her. "Yes?"  
"Do you want to name them by their past lives? At least their first names?" Artemis asks gently as she places a hand on one of his.  
Percy nods and Hyperion hands him one of the girls he was holding. "Silena." Percy smiles a little. "What do you want her middle name to be?"  
"Melissa." Artemis grins.  
Percy nods. "Silena Melissa Jackson, Goddess of Forgiveness and Tragedy." He looks at Aphrodite.  
Aphrodite squeals as quietly as possible, kisses Percy's cheek, and gently takes the baby from Percy's arms. "Thank you."  
Percy nods and Hyperion hands him the next girl. "Bianca."  
"You pick this one." Artemis tells him.  
"Bianca Layla Jackson, Goddess of Sisterhood and Promises." Percy says and looks over at Hades to see the old god crying. He holds out Bianca to him wordlessly and Hades cries even more as he takes the baby into his arms.  
Artemis gets Percy's attention and looks down at the girl in her arms. "And her?"  
Percy smiles hugely. "Zoe."  
Artemis has tears streaking down her face in the next second. "Amelia."  
Percy nods. "Zoe Amelia Jackson, Goddess of Stars, Constellations, and Friendship."  
"Oh." Artemis gasps and holds the baby closer. "How?"  
"Even the sky above has an entrance for souls to go to the Underworld if they so choose." Percy's eyes flash navy blue before focusing back on Artemis. "Zoe chose to enter Elysium and then got to know the others before they all decided to choose rebirth, together. They were delayed because they were destined to be reborn as our children." He tells her.  
Hestia brings over the two bundles she holds and gives one of them to Percy. He smiles warmly. "Charles." Hephaestus perks up.  
"Your turn." Artemis whispers, engrossed in having the daughter she always wanted and now she has three.  
"Charles Isaac Jackson, God of Creativity, Building, and Explosions." Percy announces and lets Hephaestus hold him, putting a warm and kind smile on the forge god's worn face.  
Hestia gives him the next bouncing baby boy. Percy chuckles. "Castor."  
Dionysus looks up in surprise.  
"Matthew." Artemis looks very happy.  
"Castor Matthew Jackson, God of Brotherhood and Daydreams." Percy declares and hands him over to Dionysus.  
Hera brings over her two. Percy takes one in his arms. "Lady Nemesis, would you please come forth?"  
A red flash and Nemesis stands in front of Percy. "What can I do for the new Olympian?" She asks.  
"Oh, don't be that way." Percy laughs.  
She raises an eyebrow. He explains the situation and she smiles. "Why have you called on me then?"  
"Ethan Ken Jackson, God of Return, Loyalty, and Betrayal." Percy says and Nemesis has tears in her eyes.  
"Can I hold him?" She asks in a watery voice.  
Percy gently puts Ethan in Nemesis's arms and she cradles him as she coos to the sleeping child.  
Hera gives Percy the next boy. "Lee."  
"Kyle." Artemis says without being asked.  
"Lee Kyle Jackson, God of Protection and Repeats." Percy says and he hands him to Apollo.  
He takes the baby boy from Zeus since he knows Zeus and Poseidon would begin a fight over who would hand over the boy they hold first. "Michael James Jackson, God of Defense and Blood." He has Apollo hold him too. Apollo is about to burst with tears as they start to slowly slide down his face.  
Poseidon hands Percy the last child. "Luke."  
"You go ahead." Artemis whispers.  
Percy kisses her cheek and smiles at her. "Luke Oliver Jackson, God of Sacrifice, Loss, and Judgement."  
Hermes looks scared and huge tears drip off of his chin. Percy walks over to him and lets him hold the baby. Hermes smiles warmly and cuddles the little boy.  
Percy sits down next to Artemis and holds her to him. He coos to Zoe and leans against Artemis, resting his head on hers.  
The little family experiences the big event.  
Point of View: Third Person After Zeus announces the new little gods and goddesses, the people's spirits seem to lift and they all come forward and insiston meeting every single last child. They congratulate Artemis and Percy and wonder at the pair. Before, so unlikely, but now, so right for each other. Once every citizen has held and seen each newborn, Zeus takes them to Camp Half-Blood to announce the children. The Greeks just look a little devastated while the Romans all come up to greet the newcomers. Then, Hyperion is declared safe and a defender of the gods. He is reluctantly let in and the barrier can no longer hold him out of either camp, lest he turn evil. Olympus citizens also know this now. Percy hands Hyperion all the children he holds. "Your job is to watch over my children. Keep them safe, taken care of, and help them whenever they need. They will reach full growth in four months time. The fifth month, that is when I will have to decide where else you will be helpful."  
Hyperion nods. "Of course, Lord. The little lords and ladies will not come to harm as long as I am with them. This, I swear. Shall I see Lady Artemis home? She looks exhausted."  
"Yes, thank you, Hyperion. It would be most appreciated. I have much work to do. It may take some time to complete, but I am certain it shall be done. Slowly but surely." Percy tells him.  
"You are welcome. We will be in the Valley of the Hunt." Hyperion bows his head.  
Hyperion heads over to Artemis's side and helps her along to her shrine. She smiles and talks with him as they both care for her and Percy's children. Percy heads for the new shrine, his shrine. It, too, has an entrance to the Realm of the Moon, but that is not where he is going. He enters his shrine and finds a room meant for study. He snaps his fingers and the room becomes clear of all material objects, being stored somewhere else in the shrine until he puts it back.  
A young immortal comes in. "Oh, hello, milord." She bows as he turns.  
"Hello. Might I know your name?" He replies with a warm smile.  
She straightens and looks surprised a little at his smile. "I am a new immortal. An apprentice of Lady Hecate, but she insisted I serve under your wing as well when the opportunity to work in your shrine surfaced."  
"Hecate, huh?" Percy raises an eyebrow and the immortal nods. "Why serve under me?"  
"You know how to use magic, don't you?" She asks shyly.  
"Ah, do your talents match mine, child?" Percy asks curiously.  
"Yes. She said that I had to pass a test from you. But once passed, I must still be a servant of your shrine. She told me thatyou can even teach me old magic if I have an aptitude for it." She answers.  
"It would seem Hecate thinks it best that I teach you my kind of magic. Very well, I will teach you my ways, but I am afraid you must wait. I have other matters to attend to." Percy tells her.  
She bows again. "I will leave you. then, my lord. Thank you." He comes forward and puts a hand on her shoulder. She rises quickly and then relaxes. "You still have not told me your name, child." He reminds her.  
"Helara. My name is Helara Grandorwin. I was a mortal only one week ago. I have always dreamed of being able to use magic and when I found out I actually could, Lady Hecate came to me and offered me control and safety. Plus, I have always been interested in Greek myths." The girl informs him.  
"Alright, but please do not bow or kneel or refer to me as your lord." He tells her.  
Her eyes widen. "Oh." She grins. "Alright."  
"I ask that you do not let anyone bother me, not even yourself. This door, once closed, must remain that way. Or my efforts will be all in vain." Percy looks at her seriously.  
She nods quickly. "I will take care of it." "Thank you, dear." Percy tells her. She scurries off to attend to her duties.  
But before he can close the door, the council, minus Artemis, flashes in. "When are you going to save mother?" Zeus asks firmly.  
"Why is this room so barren?" Aphrodite wonders.  
"Get out." Percy looks annoyed as he shuts the door and moves around the room. He snaps his fingers and an altar appears near the center of the room. A cushion appearing dead center of the study. He sits down on it.  
"Tell us." Demeter insists.  
"I am about to start. It is bad enough you are in the room, get out and stay out until I call for you or you will all be hurting dearly." He huffs.  
"Oh." Apollo seems relieved.  
"How long will it take?" Hestia asks.  
Percy sighs. "It will take longer if you do not leave. There is no estimate, as I have already explained. Please leave." They all nod and flash out. Percy closes his eyes and whispers under his breath as he lets his aura bleed out into the room and only that room so nothing outside of it will bother him. He begins to send his mind through the layers of the earth, past Gaea and keeping her unaware of him, then he travels through the Underworld faster as he protects it, he finally breaks through into the first level of the Pit. His mind is immediately attacked by the presence of evil and he shields himself from it. He delves deeper, pushing further into Tartarus, trying his best to get to the right level, searching through each one for anything that can help their cause. As he dives deeper, it becomes more difficult. When he gets to the fiftieth level, he knows Corruption has been able to fill all the levels up to this point and treads carefully. He begins to push through older magic and has to dissipate it quickly and avoid being noticed by anything. Tartarus and Corruption are completely unaware as of yet, he is able to find out. No monsters have alerted them either. He carries on and searches restlessly and cautiously for the Magnerium. He finally finds it after 679 more levels of Tartarus, knowing it is the beginning of the depths of the Pit. He is able to view inside it after breaking down the magic, all of it. Every last enchantment, spell, ward, and trap they have is made to disappear. He does his best to be quiet with his presence and remain unnoticed. He finds his grandmother in his old cell and his blood still covers the stone walls, making it crimson, He knows it is his from the smell. He lets himself be seen.  
"Lady Rhea?" He calls out in a whisper.  
Her head snaps up. "Who are you?" She looks angry.  
He begins to dart towards her and makes it to the middle of the room before he is caught by someone, an arm going around his waist and the other has its elbow resting on his shoulder as the hand grabs his face. The hand forcing him to look into the face of Destruction. The Elder Primordial cackles. "So," He forces Percy to look at the wide eyed Rhea and she looks frightened. "Come to save your treasured, precious, little grandmother? How sweet." He chuckles. "What?" Rhea looks closer at Percy. "Poseidon? But he is my son..."  
Corruption laughs. "Oh no, he just looks exactly like his father." The Primordial shakes his head in amusement.  
"What is your name, grandson?" Rhea asks.  
"Perseus Jackson." Percy splutters out as he finds it is hard to speak as his presence is crushed and choked by Corruption.  
She frowns at his predicament, but her hands are chained to the wall, as well as her ankles. "Let go of him." Rhea spits.  
"Oh, I am afraid not. You see the blood om the walls?" Corruption looks at Rhea and Percy's eyes widen.  
She growls. "What about it?"  
"It's his." Corruption answers simply.  
"Get off of me." Percy snarls through his teeth.  
"I am suppressing your purity. A pity Gaea and Tartarus still cannot sense you. I only was able to very faintly feel your presence once you revealed yourself to dear Rhea here." Corruption forces Percy to look at him again and Percy struggles, but cannot do as mush as he would if it were his real body. It is only a conjuration of his mind, formed to let Rhea see him, unlike his sight he only used to get here. "Can you fight off my taint?" He chuckles deeply. "Or will it blacken your soul?" Percy's astral like form starts to darken, black creeping from Corruption's touch on his face. It branches down onto his neck as it crawls over his forehead. Percy has to sink into himself and pull out his purity from Corruption's grasp, the black is pushed back and white starts to stalk up Corruption's arms, like vines. It wraps up quickly, at a faster pace than the black taint. Corruption hisses and speaks before vanishing to go mend himself. "We will meet again, Perseus. Next time, it won't be so easy for you to overcome me if I should capture you in my embrace once more." Percy surges forward to Rhea and places his hands on the bindings on her wrists. He curses when he sees they were made with Corruption's power and forces his purity to begin to break them. Rhea places a hand on one of his as he works. He looks up at her. "Is what he said true about this blood? Are you mortal? You do not feel mortal..."  
"I was human at the time, kept young by the magic of the Pit itself. Tormented for a very long time. It has long since past and I became fully immortal to protect my mistress. Now, as required as I am bound to her in matrimony, I am a god. It is my demigod blood that plasters and cakes these walls. Not my immortal Ichor." One chain breaks and he moves to the shackle on her left wrist and works on that. "Do not fear for me. I came down here this time on my own accord at the wishes of your children. I would have come either way, but they were absolutely adamant. But my wife just had kids, I wanted to be there to see them. I am sorry it took so long."  
"Where is your body?" Rhea asks in concern.  
"Olympus, in my shrine." Percy answers.  
"How many times have you been down here?" Rhea asks.  
"Four times. First I fell to save someone who I thought loved me like I did her. The second time, I was dragged down here by her to be tortured for what seemed like eternity as she betrayed everyone's trust. Thus, my blood came to be the permanent color of these walls, as well as many other rooms. I was the first prisoner down here in several millenium and they all enjoyed it immensely. The third time was again of my own free will, I came down here to slow the assault of the enemy. Now, I am here for you." Percy tells her. "How long were you tortured? Tell me the truth." She demands.  
"One thousand years down here in the Pit and that is equal to seven months up on the surface." He tells her and starts on one of her ankles.  
"Child, why would you come down here willingly once more?" Rhea puts her hand on his face.  
"Later, all will be explained later." Percy says as he concentrates on the final restraint.  
As the last one breaks he hears and sees the front door open to the Magnerium. Percy curses. "Annabeth." He snarls. Annabeth is in the doorway as Percy brings Rhea into his arms to carry her. "Hello, Seaweed Brain." She says sweetly.  
Percy turns stoic and widens his stance as he growls at her, his wolf spirit wanting to rip Annabeth apart. "Oh, so you are part mutt, huh?" Annabeth giggles.  
His growl rumbles from deep within his chest and Rhea watches her feral grandson in worry and anxiety. "Out of my way, little girl." "I don't think so." Annabeth shakes her head. "Put grandmother down and let me have some fun with you again. We can have times like your days in this cell again."  
"I told you to move." Percy spits. "Do it before I tear you to scraps I will feed to your master by shoving them down his throat, you little witch."  
SHe shrieks and lunges at him. He focuses and makes her pass through both him and Rhea. He walks out and slams the cell door, locking it with his purity, just as she rams up against it. She screams, enraged by his trickery.  
"Looks like one of the brightest minds of her age just got fooled by the court jester, mindslave." Percy sneers.  
"How dare you!" Annabeth screeches.  
His sneer turns into his stoic expression again and he calculates her coldly. "You were so blinded you overlooked one essential factor."  
"What factor is that?" She seethes.  
"I'll let you think on it, make it simmer in your mind, and when you are run through by my blade,I will finally relieve the you ofthe weed that now grows in your mind. That crucial factor that will be your downfall." Percy tells her and she bangs against the door in frustration.  
He turns and dashes out the exit. He sprints across the level of Tartarus until he finds an empty space. He looks in a little alcove in an outcropping of a small mountain. He ducks inside, careful with his grandmother, and sets her down, laying her on soft dirt. He settles next to her and places one of his hands on her forehead and the other on her chest. "Hold still." He says seriously.  
"What are you doing?" Rhea asks, a little scared.  
He shushes her and begins to glows in his astral form. "I am sending you to my shrine. Await for my eyes to open and I will call the gods to your side." He tells her and begins uttering the spell to transport her to his shrine. Once she fades out he closes his eyes and slingshots himself backwards, and back into his body.  
He gasps for air and lands on his back as his body readjust to having his mind reoccupy it. He sits up after a few minutes and looks to see Rhea is just starting to wake up. Her eyes flutter open and she blinks a few times before seeing Percy's face as she turns her head.  
"How do you feel?" Percy asks.  
He helps her sit up and he lets her hold his hand. She blinks. "I actually feel better than I have in a long while. How come?"  
He smiles warmly. "I healed you as I cast the spell to bring you here. You did not feel it as the spell started to take affect."  
She hugs him. "Thank you, grandchild."  
He rubs her back. "It was my pleasure, grandmother. Would you like me to take you to your children, or have them come here?" She sniffles and looks up at him. "Will you take me to them?" He nods and helps her stand. "Of course." He helps her walk and opens the door. "Helara." He calls.  
Helara comes rushing over and looks at him expectantly. "Yes?"  
"Will you please grab me some nectar and ambrosia before I leave my shrine?" Percy asks her.  
She nods and runs off as Percy helps Rhea to the exit. Helara hands him stuff and then walks off to continue what she was up to before he called on her. He has Rhea drink and eat as he helps her to the throne room. "How much have I truly missed?" Rhea asks him.  
"How long have you been gone?" Percy asks casually.  
"I slipped away from the world after the end of the last Giant War. The first one that is, not the most recent one. I have heard of you, but I did not realize it was you. I thought you another son of Poseidon's that was immortal, not you. It surprised me to hearyour name, which is why I was confused." Rhea tells him. "I wanted to make sure Kronos wouldn't find me next he rose, which they didn't fully destroy him back then. However, you did, or as close as to destroyed as we can get without actually disappearing from existence. Corruption raised my husband once more. You succeeded where so many others had failed. Gaea would never have awoken again, but Corruption used his magic and his evil and his powers to bring her to full power. All the Giants and Titans that died in your wars, they are alive again. It is not your fault, you ended the cycle, but Corruption called on them again. So, it is up to you what to do now. Choose wisely, grandchild." "I most certainly will." Percy assures her. "I know exactly what to do."  
"Will you tell me?" Rhea asks.  
"It will reveal itself in time. Time I do not have at the moment. Once you are reunited with your children, I am going off on a mission. I will visit frequently though for my kids." Percy tells her.  
"I understand, but who else will explain what you plan to do?" Rhea frowns.  
"It should not take me too long to finish what I have in mind. I will fill you in on my visits with my children. Just come and listen, spend some time with Artemis and I. I am sure you would love to see the little ones." Percy chuckles.  
"There is more than one then?" She brightens considerably. "Is it your first born and second born or are they twins?"  
"We have nine little ones and all were born...it would seem it has been three days. I delved in after I made sure my wife was in good care. I did not realize until now that I had been out of my body for a few days." He laughs.  
"Nine?" Rhea looks delighted. "That's fantastic!" She squeals.  
Percy smiles as he nods. "Yes, we were both a little, well, nervous at that fact and everyone else freaked out. I assumed you would be the only one who thought it wonderful when you first heard it. Titanness of Motherhood and all."  
She beams at him. "When may I meet them?"  
"Whenever you want, though I doubt I will be there to see it." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.  
She frowns. "Well, you are. Even if I have to drag you with me." Percy looks at her and then nods. "Alright." He consents.  
She takes a hold of his hand as they stop at the throne room doors, they open at his presence and they enter together. No one notices them and Artemis is there. "Artemis? Where are the children?" Percy is at the foot of her throne in the next instant.  
She smiles as she comes down. "Hyperion watches over them. I was needed here for a few minutes, I was just about to go back while the others were arguing."  
"My brother is watching over your kids?" Rhea asks uncertain as she comes over.  
"I turned him good." Percy says as Artemis just stares.  
It falls into total silence before there is a chorus of 'Mother!' and 'Grandmother!' Percy keeps them at bay and some of them become angry. "Before you start rushing er and asking her all kinds of questions, give her some space. One at a time. She is still weakened." Percy tells them and they all nod in understanding with smiles on their faces. He steps aside and waits behind Rhea before he is attacked full on by them all for saving her. "Can I meet them now?" Rhea asks Percy as she pushes her way through.  
He smiles and nods as he takes both her hand and Artemis's. " Of course. The rest of you stay here."  
He flashes them to their home in the Valley of the Hunt. He leads them into the room he senses his children in and walks in to find Hyperion walking around feeding all of them, one in his arms as the other eight are watching in their cribs.  
He walks in and Rhea looks at him and Artemis. He waves at the room. "Go ahead." He tells her.  
Which means setting her loose. She is at Hyperion's side, surprising him, and talks with him as she goes around meeting all the babies. She holds each and every one of them and loves them. The sight warms both Percy and Artemis's hearts. They watch in joy at the interaction between the Titanness with their kids. Hyperion and Rhea converse as they have the and Percy join them in sitting on the floor holding the kids. They talk and laugh and just enjoy their time together. The rest of the huntresses fill the room and talk adamantly with the four beings, getting to hold a baby every once in a while.  
Chapter Forty Three: New Plans, Crazy Ideas Point of View: Third Person "You want to do what now?!" Poseidon shouts in disbelief.  
Percy sighs, he knew his father would be difficult. "I want to find the rest of the evil Titans, the ones on the surface world at least. I want to make them like Hyperion. Take away Corruption's generals and great warriors. Make it harder to control somany monsters without the proper power. Giants as well. It can turn more than one tide in our favor. I would be out on a hunt and I would like several Guardians to come with me. I will take Hunters as well. My Guardian and one of my Companions and my Guardian's Companion are out searching for entrances as we speak. If I am out hunting, I could help with that as well. We found Hyperion at one entrance. If there are more Titans and Giants, why not take advantage and turn them to our side? Your banes wouldn't attack you anymore and would live to protect you under my command. Warriors for Olympus. Not to mention it would get under the enemy's skin. Information, tactics, allies. We need to call for all the aid we can get. Muster our forces. We cannot win a war without troops. My Guardians may be strong, but once they are grievously injured, they have to be healed before going back out into the fight. Extra eyes and hands, weapons and friends. They won't die unless I do. Titans, Giants, Companions, Guardians all charging together into battle as undying soldiers as long as Artemis or any of of you do not get hurt. Think about it. It is perfect to help us. What better way to combat the enemy, than to capture and turn them? Just like Corruption is doing. He wouldn't stop at the chance to turn any one of us. Torture, interrogation, insanity are all weapons he can use to turn us and what better way than to put an end to it, than to block off anybody from getting into his grasp? I can shield all the demigods and gods. My purity already protects the Guardians, Protectors, and Tenders. We cannot win this war without strategy. Athena? Apollo? Ares? Do you agree with me?" He turns to look at his siblings.  
Athena and Apollo nod while Ares looks perplexed. "The front line will be composed of you, the Guardians, the Companions, and those Titans and giants you turn. Who's your ranged?" Ares asks and looks up at Percy.  
"The Hunters and the Apollo campers. Nico and I both have some type of defense magic. We will put a one way shield overthem. They can fire out of it, but it cannot be penetrated. During battle, Nico and I will lose strength of course, but we can maintain it together. Especially me if Corruption tries to cower behind his troops and weaken any defense. We will strengthen barriers as we make them around you, camouflage traps. The Hephaestus and Hecate cabins can make those. Demeter's children with their ranged plant skills can entrap enemies to slow them down. Boundless tactics that can be used wisely and safely without leaving any camp vulnerable." Percy tells him.  
Ares nods. "Not many demigods have the power storage you did as one. They don't use theirs as much. The Demeter and Dionysus children may be ranged with their powers, but the farther away it is, the more draining it is."  
"Training. Not only physical, but inborn ability training. Every demigod has some talent. I have seen it. Even the simplest demigod could wield magic like a child of Hecate. Any ability is special and useful. Athenian children could weave different materials into different traps or camouflage them easily. They can build traps with Hephaestus children. Every demigod can do something. Whether they can wield a weapon or not. I will not tolerate a high casualty rating. I won't lose so many children this time. I will stop at nothing to save any soul on that battlefield." Percy tries to prove his point.  
"Do we even know where the battlefield is going to be?" Apollo asks. "I am blocked from seeing it. Corruption is at work in that. I will not reach out to it."  
"I have a feeling Corruption will come at us where it hurts. He will try to hinder us severely in any way possible." Percy says.  
No one gets it. "Where?" Athena asks.  
"Here. Manhattan. He doesn't care one way or the other about humans. He wouldn't know what to do with them if he won. But he knows we care. If it does end up being here, I will...do something to get them out of the area." Percy explains.  
"I see." Athena nods.  
"He will stop at nothing. He only cares about one thing and one thing only. He will only stop once defeated." Percy says. "Will he ever return to try again if we beat him?" Apollo inquires.  
"That I don't know, but if we do it right, he won't ever come back." Percy says seriously.  
"So, you wish to go out and turn any enemy you can find?" Zeus returns to the original point. "Not just any enemy. But I won't kill unless absolutely needed. It would be pointless to send them back to where they will only be a nuisance in the war. I could turn them and throw them at the enemy first before we charged, maybe have them use bows and strike at the enemy with the Hunters and Apollo cabin, but I am unsure if that is wise or fair. Maybe a hunting party or anambush before the real battle starts and to slow the advance if we needed more time. But killing them is unwise, yet turning them would be nearly just as pointless." Percy holds his head as he thinks.  
"I would say as a hunting party. Let them attack any forces that Corruption would try to send in behind us." Athena says.  
"If you turn enough, we could have one hunting party and an ambush set up. Even an extra front line or two. Put them in formations and send them at the enemy. They won't die under your power, right?So why feel guilty if you know they won't die?" Ares suggests.  
Percy sighs. "You're right. This is why I didn't want a pure-hearted conscious. It clouds my judgments in times like these."  
Artemis sighs. "But you need one or you would have just killed Hyperion."  
"Maybe not." Percy argues back halfheartedly.  
"It is a possibility, but there is no use in thinking about it." Hera chimes in.  
"I will turn them then." Percy decides. "I think it would be wise." Athena compliments him.  
"My only problem is, what is the point in training these demigods, if the war could be centuries from now?" Percy slams his hand down. "Efforts would be useless, spells would weaken over time. Demigods older and some too young could come along to young to wield a sword due to their size or unable to handle the fact of being in a war. Useless. These are all battle hardened warriors. Except a select few. But even they are trained enough to be deadly, even as novices in their practices."  
The gods all frown at this realization. "He makes a good point." Hestia pipes up.  
"There is only one way to be sure we are doing this at the right moment. One clear path." Percy speaks in a monotone.  
"What is that?" Dionysus asks.  
"We have to let them out." Percy lets the bomb drop.  
"Are you insane?! All that effort you and Nico put in to slow their advance and you want to throw it away?!" Artemis yells.  
"But we have the advantage of choosing when we are ready. When we are truly prepared. Setting up all possible battlefields. It could be at camp or here in the city. Or at the roots of the gods once more. I have a strong feeling it is near here though. We would have enough time to have a number of you flash all the mortals in the city to the camp or just keep them from traveling towards it if they attack the camp. I believe it is the best path we have." Percy says.  
"I think he's right." A voice comes from the throne room doors. Reyna walks in. "He usually is. It's perfect. Picking when you are ready. But will they be, is the real question. You hurt their forces gravely enough on your own. You are planning to put them in more setbacks even now." She walks to the middle of the throne room.  
"We will have to force them out of the Pit." Percy sighs heavily. "So much raw power in drawing that many monsters and deities, not to mention powerful deities and ancient monsters along with them. It would take the whole of the Olympian counciland then some to do it."  
That's when the minor gods flash in, all of them. "We will help." Iris steps forward. "I'm not one much for battle, but I have my ways with magic and summoning things."  
Bellona slams her spear into the floor and holds her shield at attention. "I will lend my aid in this part, even in the battle. I am not so restricted as some of us here. I can rally broken troops and fearing children. I will lead a charge if needed. But I will pour some of my power into summoning them."  
"I feel I owe a debt to young Perseus here, more than one. Consider one paid after the war, child." Thanatos tells him. "I canbe of great help since I may enter the Pit, not to mention am protected by Perseus's magic when I enter. I could strengthen it down there, and guide your spell on its way to victory."  
Nike laughs. "I do believe that is my job. I would love to give Corruption a taste of my stinging glory in battle. Tell me where to strike, and a life will be ended. The spell will be assured to work with my help." "I will give the spell all I have got. You have my magic with you." Hecate says.  
"I wouldn't mind causing anxiety and fear tumulting through the enemy ranks. They will tremble before us. I can help some with the spell." Ariana grins widely.  
"It's time good balances out evil. My spear and powers are yours." Nemesis nods.  
"I could trap some enemies in nightmares to slow them down for you, even give aid to this summoning." Morpheus says.  
"Causing monsters to drop from weariness is a specialty I have perfected, but they will remain standing for the battle. The spell sounds fun, lets force them out of their safe haven and bring the fight to them." Hypnos looks a little overexcited. "I may only have a simple domain, but I will help with the spell." Hebe promises.  
"You have my spear and my power for the summoning." Phobos pledges.  
"Mine as well." Deimos agrees with his brother. "The enemy will fall at their knees."  
"I shall reinforce our willpower." Harmonia smiles.  
"And I shall break the ties of those who oppose us. The spell will strengthen with our powers." Eris finishes with a sneer.  
"We will fight on the battlefront and pour our powers into the spell." Alexiares and Anicetus speaks together.  
"I would love to bash into the enemy once more." Hercules says.  
"I will combine my powers with all of yours for this summoning." Eros adds his help.  
"I shall lend a hand in the summoning." Persephone comes forward.  
"Looks like you'll need a little luck on your side." Tyche giggles. "I will lend that aid and help with the spell."  
"I suppose I shall join in the summoning ritual." Momus sighs and then grins.  
Boreas chuckles. "Guess I am joining the party. I will help wherever I can."  
Notos laughs at Boreas. "Count me in."  
Eurus sighs at the two imbeciles. "Zephyrus and I shall give you our aid." Zephyrus nods along.  
Kione grumbles. "Lord Perseus."  
"Kione." Perseus smiles warmly.  
"Our little encounter earlier has convinced me to help. You have my aid." Kione turns her back as she crosses her arms, her father putting a hand on her shoulder. "I will put my strength in the spell." Aeolus puts in his word.  
Several other minor gods and goddesses promise their help in the battle and in the spell. "Thank you." Percy tells them. His eyes glow and their minds are protected from Corruption. The minor gods flash out as they go prepare themselves, storing up as much power as they can.  
"Could the Titans you turn help with the spell?" Hades asks.  
"I would rather they save their strength for the fight." Percy sighs, then something occurs to him. "What about the peaceful Titans? Rhea, Eos, Themis? What about them? Calypso, she could help! All the other ones that are imprisoned still! Set them free, apologize, explain! Give them a life once it's all over! I can find them and bring them here if they still roam this Earth."  
Everybody looks at each other and nods. Zeus snaps his fingers and a bunch of young women appear. Zeus motions towards Percy and they all reluctantly turn to him. Percy explains everything and they all discuss among themselves. Mnemosyne turns back around first and clears her throat. "We will help. Thank you for getting us out, Lord Perseus." She says and they all thank him.  
"No!" He exclaims and they jump. "I just...um, you're welcome." He sighs and they all giggle. "Why do I even try?" He groans. "Just please don't call me lord." He complains.  
Tethys and Dione giggle extremely, but squeal when Rhea comes in squealing herself. All the Titans rush Rhea and they walk out catching up with each other.  
"Lord Zeus?" Percy begins.  
"What idea could you possibly have now?" Zeus looks surprised.  
"I think it wise that Hestia and Hades be restored to their Olympian thrones." Percy tells him.  
"I agree, father. It has been too long since they have been so." Athena nods along with Percy's idea.  
"Very well. If you believe it good, then it shall be done." Zeus nods.  
"Think about it. Hestia keeps us all together, helps keep our power in check and strengthens it. Hades is strong and could provide wise counsel. They are both needed as Olympians again." Percy says.  
Hades appears and looks at Zeus expectantly. "What is it, brother?"  
Zeus snaps his fingers and a throne of Stygian Iron bones, white soulish cloth, and Stygian Ice outlines rises out of the ground. Also, a throne made of warm, fuzzy fur, flames dancing in patterns all over, and warmth spreading through the room from it rises. Hestia and Hades take their thrones.  
"It was Perseus's idea." Zeus tells Hades.  
Hades gets the whole explanation and catches up on what he has missed. "Where have you been without the Underworld?" Hera asks him.  
"Oh, well, I have been in the demigod camp. Not much I can do there as I am prohibited, but I help out a little bit." Hades shrugs. "Not really much I can do."  
"Is that all for now?" Zeus asks.  
"No, actually. Which of you are willing to let me borrow your Guardians for a little while?" Percy implores.  
"I will let Crena go with you." Hestia smiles and Crena walks over from the hearth to sit at the foot of Percy's throne.  
"Phoebe may travel with you." Poseidon nods. He summons Phoebe and she joins Crena.  
"Piper can assist you." Hera says, Piper walks over.  
"Jason will lend you aid." Hades flashes his Guardian in.  
"Reyna may go." Zeus nods. Reyna comes over looking excited.  
"Raphael is free to tag along." Aphrodite nods and he joins the little group.  
"That is all I need. Thank you." Percy bows his head.  
"Is there anything else?" Zeus repeats.  
"Wait, do you want some of the Hunters?" Artemis looks at Percy.  
Percy shakes his head. "With this many Guardians travelling with me, there is no need to endanger the girls. They should go to camp and train, help others train, teach what they can."  
Artemis nods.  
When there is complete silence, Zeus declares, "Meeting adjourned."  
Chapter Forty Four: First Hunt Of The Guardians Point of View: Perseus Jackson We now camp next to an entrance that Delilah found, Delilah pacing anxiously. I watch her in amusement. "Will you calm down, sister?" I laugh at her way in receiving the news of what I want to do.  
Delilah comes over and sits down by the fire next to me. "Bringing so many under your control though..." She shakes herhead. "That will be extremely tiring during the battle. Especially if Corruption decides to flat out challenge your powers. To keep so many safe like that, it's dangerous. I am not going to lie that it is a good plan, but it is dangerous. Not reckless really, just very concerning for those who love you."  
I nod in understanding, thinking of what to tell her to ease her mind. "The council agreed that it might be one of the wisest decisions. The more powerful we are, the weaker they become. We can take away so many allies they rely upon. We could crush them from the inside out."  
Delilah nods in acceptance and then frowns. "How long will this search take? Don't you want to see your kids grow up?"  
I grin. "Do not worry. I will see them plenty. Once we begin, I will be with them while you all sleep. I can keep an eye on the camp while spending time with my children."  
"Just as long as you see them, is all that matters." Piper tells me.  
"You don't want them growing up thinking you don't love them. Kids are like that you know." Jason sighs.  
"I am well aware. I do not want that to happen." I say. 'Not after what happened to Luke the first time.'  
"Have we found any other entrances?" Reyna asks.  
"As far as I am aware, no, we have not. Nico and I closed one, but this is the second one. And they are very hard to find, especially if there are barriers around them. They most likely know that we are actively seeking them out now. Nico's Companion, Darrius, I haven't heard from him yet." I respond first.  
"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Raphael asks.  
"Nothing really. I just needed to inform Delilah of the news before she went off again." I shrug.  
They pack up camp after eating and head for the barrier. I bring it down and Jason and the others manage to capture Atlas. I come forward and I bind Atlas to myself, branding him as well.  
I smile warmly and crouch before Atlas, who waits patiently. Reyna and Piper let go of Atlas now that he is safe. "Hello, Atlas."  
"Greetings, my lord." Atlas smiles hugely.  
I let it slide this time. "Tell me, friend, who has taken your place under the sky?"  
"Prometheus was forced to take the burden as to limit his troublemaking." Atlas answers without qualms.  
I chuckle. "Who do you think should hold the sky?"  
"I honestly do not know. But I do not miss it. You won't make me hold it again, will you?" Atlas looks at me with pleading eyes.  
I smile and pat his shoulder. "No, I have need of you elsewhere. If you come up with any suggestions though, please inform me."  
"Where do you need me?" Atlas jumps at the chance.  
"First, I want to to go to Lady Athena, explain I sent you, then give her every scrap of information about this new war. Once she is done with you, I want you to meet me at Mt. Othrys." I tell him.  
Atlas frowns. "But-"  
"I am not going to make you hold the sky, Atlas. But I need you to meet me there. Is that clear?" I cut across him.  
Atlas brightens once more and nods. "Yes, my lord. Thank you."  
I chuckle and smile. "You are welcome. Hurry along."  
Atlas nods and flashes out. I stand up. "Shall I continue?" Delilah inquires.  
"Yes." I agree.  
Delilah waves and takes off in her wolf form, in search for more entrances.  
Nico appears at my side. "I sensed several of the Guardian's traveling. I see you have found another entrance." He comments.  
I nod. "Glad you could make it. You will be traveling with us. Let us seal this entrance."  
After sealing the entrance, I have them make camp after running for a long while. We search the vast countryside as we run through nature. It is late into the day and I make sure they camp here.  
"I will be back. I am going to Atlas for now. Nico, after you've eaten and rested for a bit, pack up and begin again. I will join you later." I inform them. Nico nods and I flash away to Mt. Othrys.  
I head towards the sky where I sense Prometheus and smirk when he doesn't notice me. I walk right up to the edge of the sky, which is weird to say. "Greetings, Prometheus." I chuckle.  
"What do you want, Perseus Jackson?" Prometheus sighs.  
"What do I want? Hmm..." I tap my chin. "That is a very good question."  
"My lord!" Atlas appear next to my side happily.  
I sigh. "No formalities, Atlas. We're all friends here."  
Prometheus scoffs. "Just get on with whatever it is you're here to do."  
I grin. "Who's best suited to holding the sky, Prometheus. Surely someone with your talents knows."  
Prometheus raises an eyebrow and then thinks on it. "It would have to be the Earth. Like the olden days. When they always touched."  
I nod. "I figured as much." I look up at the weight on Prometheus's shoulders and then his face lights up. "Perhaps something can be done. The Earth may reconnect with the sky through a special place without crushing humanity with its weight."  
Atlas looks confused. "How, my lord?"  
"Atlas." I warn.  
"Sorry." Atlas squeaks, making me sigh.  
"It's fine." I wave it away. I kneel next to Prometheus and place my hand on Prometheus's forehead. I bring Prometheus under my power and brand him. Then I take the sky from the Titan, worrying both of them. Then I glow with my deep aura and the sky begins to rise as I stand. As I rise, so do pillars of rock, vines, roots, and trees. Plants all over and the Titans stand in awe at what I am doing.  
The columns of rock dig up into the sky and pulse with magic. Six pillars to hold the sky at bay. Nemesis, Demeter, Hecate, Artemis, Hestia, and Hera flash in. They place their hands on a respective pillar and bless it to help hold the sky. Then flash out. I step out from underneath and raise another pillar, blessing that one myself. The pillars all shoot light at the one in the middle and it acts as a conduit, sending the beam up into the sky, glowing throughout it and then fading. The pillars flash ever once in a while, but they won't attract attention.  
"My lord..." Prometheus stands there breathless.  
"A shrine that connects earth and sky. The pillars won't drain those who blessed them with their power either. Shrine of Beginnings. None would dare to disturb it. Not even Corruption. It would be pointless. The sky and earth are now happy. It might even help nature." I shrug.  
"What do we do now?" Atlas asks, waiting for orders.  
"Well, after Prometheus gives Athena all of his information, he will be staying with her to inform her if what he sees. You, Atlas, will be guarding Camp Half-Blood." I say.  
Atlas nods and flashes off as well as Prometheus. I go home and spend time with my kids before rejoining my Guardians.  
After three months, we have sealed over twenty entrances and I have purified every Titan and nearly all the Giants, save Porphyrion, Alcyoneus, and Polybotes.  
Also, my kids have grown into full out adults. I sit in the living room with my kids before I have to go to a meeting.  
"The decision is yours." I sigh. "You can receive your old memories or be free to live this life from them. But I am able to offer this to you. You may choose."  
"Why now? You said mom agrees with you to wait until we had actually been alive for several years." Zoë looks worried somewhat as well as a little uncertain.  
"It's wrong to keep it from you for so long. You don't have to decide right now but could be years fro now. But in telling you right now, in this moment, that you all have the choice. It's there if you want it. You can always change your minds." I tell them.  
They all want their memories back after we discuss a few things for about an hour. Artemis comes in and sits next to me. I sigh and stand up, knowing it is going to be awkward and all touchy feely. I wave my hands over them and they all blink and half of them look like they've been shocked.  
Chapter Forty Five: The Reactions of the Dead Come to Life Point of View: Third Person "Oh my gods!" Silena has tears flowing down her face. Silena looks more like Artemis with her auburn hair and silver eyes, pale and glowing skin. Percy winces a little, thinking the worst.  
"Percy!" Luke bear hugs his father, who he looks like almost down to a 'T.' The jet black hair, the sea green eyes, and the sun kissed skin. Percy doesn't hug him back for a few seconds and then is just shocked as he wraps his arms around Luke.  
Beckendorf walks up to Percy and just looks at him, then nods. He has auburn hair, sea green eyes, and pale skin. He's a mix between Percy and Artemis.  
Zoe squeals and crushes Artemis in a death hug. She has the black hair, the silver eyes, but the tanned skin. Castor just smiles as a few tears slip out of his eyes. He has black hair, sea green eyes, and pale skin. Lee and Michael look exactly alike with the auburn hair, sea green eyes, and tanned skin.  
Bianca looks like Percy. She has pitch black hair, sea green eyes and tanned skin. She, too, hugs Artemis, along with has auburn hair, silver eyes, and pale skin. He walks right up to his father and hugs him tight.  
Percy can now hear what they are thinking since he started to relax. They don't blame him, for anything. Nothing at all. That is all he could ever ask for or even want from them. He again explains how they became his and why. But they all seem happy and hyper. Luke the most and he loves being both Percy and Artemis's kid. He is just glad he gets to start all over.  
They sit there for a long while talking before Percy has to leave with Nico, who comes bearing both exciting yet fearsome news."I have found Polybotes." Nico says seriously. "But he has a camp of monsters, almost three battalions worth."  
Percy rises slowly. "Let's go, Nico. We do not have time to waste." Nico nods solemnly.  
"How are you going to bring so man under your control?" Artemis asks skeptically.  
"No faith in your husband?" Percy asks teasingly. Artemis blushes. "It's not..."  
"I will be absolutely fine Artemis. I will come back unharmed, I promise. Stay with them." Percy smiles warmly and Artemis nods.  
Percy and Nico flash out and join the other Guardians. They watch from the shadows and the foliage of the forest they camp in. They look down upon the camp from a small cliff in the little valley the monsters have settled in. It isn't too far of a drop and they all look to Percy for guidance. Percy scans the camp and points out the strongest monsters and which ones head which company of monsters. Percy draws his bow. "I thought we weren't killing any of them!" Jason flips out in a hushed tone.  
Percy rolls his eyes. "Watch and learn, Jason Grace." Percy says as he picks up a rock. He pulls it back on the bowstring and fires the rock right at the Minotaur's forehead, enraging the beast completely. It starts rampaging through the lines, causing mass confusion and Percy has them all move in and wait for the signal. Percy looks at Nico and his Guardian darts out, occupying almost one whole battalion by himself as he puts a shield around them, not letting them out. Percy loads an arrow this time and fires right at the shield, his arrow glowing bright white, purifying the monsters, who just stand there waiting for orders from Percy. The others occupy several monsters until Percy can get to them while Reyna and Raphael keep Polybotes from escaping and keeping him busy. By time Percy has all the monsters under his reign, he's watching Polybotes closely. There is something off about the Giant. Raphael pushes Reyna out of the way when Polybotes shoots Greek Fire out of his hands at her, taking it instead. Nico doesn't need to be told and is next to Raphael in the next instant, healing him and shielding the both of them while he sets to work, sweating as he is careful with Raphael.  
Percy analyzes everything closer and sees the shift in the way Polybotes fights, the color of his eyes and the way he looks likehe's been up since last century. Percy is quick about what he does and climbs up to Polybotes's neck. He places his hands on either temple and fights to purify the Giant and make him obey. It takes somewhat longer and when Percy finally gets Polybotes under his power, Polybotes collapses. Percy jumps off just before the Giant hits and lands next to Polybotes's head. He crouches next to it and waits for the Giant to wake up.  
As Polybotes's eyes flutter open, Percy speaks. "Greetings, Polybotes."  
Polybotes looks up at Percy a little worried. "Hello, Lord Perseus."  
Percy ignores it. "How are you able to use Greek Fire? What has changed? What has Corruption done?" Polybotes sits up and Percy stands. "I cannot do it now, you took away Corruption's blessing when you brought me under your command. It wasn't really a blessing, just an extra power to surprise you and bring down others unexpectedly. Porphyrion and Alcyoneus cannot receive such a gift or it will mess with their powers, but the sea changes constantly, so I am the only one able to accept another power."  
Percy nods and scowls. "Report to Athena, then go to Camp Half-Blood and help guard over it."  
Polybotes nods and bows his head. "Thank you, my lord." Then he leaves.  
Percy turns to the monsters. "Your job is to gather in the Field of Moonlight in the Realm of the Moon." He waves his hand and several portals open. "Stay there and you will be accustomed. Bother no one." The monsters are uncharacteristically silent as they follow the command. Percy waves his hand as the last of the monsters goes through, closing the portals permanently.  
"Now what?" Nico comes to stand at Percy's side.  
The wind blows eerily and makes their cloaks ripple along with their hair. "It is almost time for the real war to begin. We have hindered them far more than they thought possible. It is a blow worthy of Olympus's name. I believe the last two Giants will be down in Tartarus for now. Corruption cannot lose his last two generals. He doesn't have the skills to lead them, he only has the men. He has many more than we do still. The Giants would be vulnerable at the rate we have been hunting them down. They will be present at the end battle." Percy answers.  
"The Primordials?" Reyna asks.  
"They do not think tactically. They only think about domination and grudges and petty wishes. They do not see the big picture. This is no amateur war, or they would suffice. Be that as it may, I want you all on high alert. Return to your gods. I will not have them without you now. Annabeth is sly, cunning, and can meld to the shadows just as easily as a child of Hermes. She will do anything to kill any one of the gods. Do not relax, not even when the war is over. Not for a little while, just in case. Do not leave your god or goddess's side. They need you." Percy commands.  
Phoebe smiles and hugs Percy, shocking a few of their present company. "I will return to your father. See you soon."  
Percy chuckles and hugs her back. "Be safe, sister." Phoebe nods and then vanishes, flashing away.  
One by one, they all leave until it is Nico and Percy left, standing on the cliff and looking over the valley. "How long?"  
"As soon as the demigods are ready." Percy answers.  
"They could never be." Nico sighs.  
"No one is ever ready, until the challenge is right in front of them." Percy glances at Nico. "That is how life works. But when the demigods are trained enough to survive at their utmost potential for this war, that...is when the spell will be cast. We choosethe battleground."  
"And Annabeth?" Nico replies.  
"What about her?" Percy ripostes.  
"Will you bring her under your command?" Nico inquires.  
Percy turns, his back facing the small valley. "No," He says coldly. "Fate has something else in mind. I am to leave her to destiny, by my sword. If she is spared and I am to do something other than to end her life, the course will be altered. But until those words are spoken, she dies in that battle. Or if anyone sights her. She can enter either camp, which is why I have stationed the majority of the Titans and Giants in them, especially Camp Jupiter. They will keep the camps safe. She may be strong and resourceful, but I can outmatch her. The camps are not only guarded."  
Nico looks over his shoulder. "What do we do in the meantime?" "While I am out, I wish for you to watch over Artemis and my children for me." Percy says.  
"Where are you going?" Nico implores.  
"I am assigning the remaining void of Guardians and Protectors. I will be lending a hand, too, in finding Tenders." Percy answers.  
Nico nods. "I will keep them safe."  
"Thank you. I will return sometime later tonight before leaving again tomorrow." Percy tells him.  
"You got it." Nico says and flashes away.  
Percy shakes his head and laughs. "So this is your game, Annabeth?"  
A sneering figure comes out of the foliage. "You are very sensitive to your surroundings. Any reason?" She smirks hugely.  
Percy grins, almost in a snarl. "Yeah, actually." Annabeth freezes as the hunting knife is pressed to her neck. "But I'm not the only one."  
Nico presses it harder into Annabeth's throat. "Hey, Neeks." She says sweetly.  
Nico's voice is dark, cold, and cutting as he growls into Annbeth's ear. "I'm not your friend Annabeth. That won't work on me."  
Annabeth sighs, not looking worried, but Percy can feel it in the air. "Guess the cat's out of the bag."  
"It has been out of the bag, Annabeth. What do you want?" Nico begins to draw blood.  
"Information." Annabeth shrugs as best she can in her position.  
Percy chuckles. "That is one thing you won't get from me."  
Annabeth smirks. "I got plenty."  
Percy shrugs and nods at Nico. "Let her go."  
Nico does as told and stands at Percy's side before Annabeth can try anything. "Did you lose brain cells marrying that harlot goddess?" Annabeth snickers.  
"No, you aren't real. You're still down in Tartarus as of this moment. Goodbye, Annbeth." Percy laughs and dissolves the shadow into the trees.  
"I'll return now, Percy." Nico says and Percy nods. They both flash off, going separate paths.  
Chapter Forty Six: Preparations of War Point of View: Third Person Over the course of two months, Percy has given every god and goddess in existence a Guardian, a Protector, and a Tender. There are now at least four Tenders for each symbol. He now has a Lieutenant Tender, his very first named Tender, and her name is Amara. A bright young little girl that is never not cautious. After that, he takes over training the demigods and the Ares boys are finally released after he says the word, 'Goodbye.' He deals with Annabeth 24/7 and always outsmarts her, being three steps ahead of her in each move she makes. But now, ameeting has been called to discuss the matters at hand.  
"Perseus, what is the news on Annabeth Chase?" Zeus asks.  
"She is a constant pain in my immortal ass. She is a nuisance every day. But each time she strikes, she fails miserably. She is trying even now to enter New Rome, without knowing she had already failed utterly." He says.  
"How are our forces?" Hera inquires.  
"All Titans and Giants but Porphyrion and Alcyoneus are on our side. Perseus even managed to resurrect Iapetus and Damasen. The demigods number a solid 305 and have improved greatly from what I can tell. Perseus has purified nearly 4,000 monster, just under it in fact. But we are still outnumbered...10:1." Athens says.  
"Oh dear..." Hestia sighs.  
"How do the children train?" Ares asks for a subject change.  
"Progressively, but not slow. It is a steady flow and all have learned how to use their inborn abilities to their advantage in any situation. I have taught them many things. Tricks, plans, skills, and traps. Much more. They all have great potential." Percy tellshim. "I have found a way to make each thing fun for them so that they may learn faster."  
"There is no fun in war." Ares looks him straight in the eye.  
"I never implied that nor did I say it. I just meant that I made it easier for them to know how to save their lives and the lives of others by helping them to grasp it quicker. When the time comes, they will be ready if they must fight." Percy says.  
"The two you revived?" Hephaestus chimes in.  
"Already good before they perished. Even now with Iapetus with all of his memory. I have protected them from Corruption, but I did not bring them under my control. They are safe." Percy assures the forge god.  
"How will we fight the Primordials?" Hermes asks.  
"Though the demigods may have great potential, they aren't anywhere near the potential Perseus had as one. He was beaten and tired and he still fought Gaea and won. Perseus is our best chance." Aphrodite says.  
"Though I hate to admit it, Aphrodite is right." Percy sighs heavily. "How are you going to fight two Primordials and an Elder Primordial on your own?!" Artemis freaks out.  
"I can handle it Artemis, I will be fine. I , and I alone, will combat the Primordials." Percy answers.  
"What about Annabeth?" Apollo asks.  
"I will kill her." Artemis hisses.  
"No, Artemis. You need to stay out of harm's way." Percy says.  
"Perseus, I-" Artemis starts.  
Percy cuts her off. "Want to help? Want revenge?" Percy asks softly. "Artemis, you are important. The most important. If you die, I can die, and if i die, many of our forces will. You are needed to stay safe. Not only is it my personal wish that you do, it is a need. I want you to stay unharmed, i would give anything for that."  
"But..." Artemis can't finish.  
"I will be fine. Fate will strike down Annabeth. She will get frustrated, and then she will get enraged, then her doom will cast her into oblivion. She will die, one way or another." Percy explains.  
"The minor gods?" Hades asks.  
"They have stored more power than they have in ages." Hermes informs them.  
"How come?" Zeus asks.  
"The Guardians, Protectors, and Tenders all help those they serve in many ways. Even you are all much stronger than usual. I am just used to being at normal for myself." Percy shrugs.  
"Anything else?" Zeus asks and when it is silence, "Meeting adjourned."  
Chapter Forty Seven: A Meeting of Fate Point of View: Third Person/Perseus Jackson I walk through the woods trying to clear my mind before I explode on a camper. That would be detrimental and I am just stressed. This is why I didn't want feelings. I never got stressed over stupid emotions before and now it's just havoc. I finally stopped being jumbled though, so that helps a lot. I came clear to Europe so I wouldn't be anywhere near the camp and just walk, but when I see a black clad figure, my guard is hardened. I wait for the man to approach me and when he does, I recognize him. It takes me only a few seconds to realize which presence it is that I remember. But I am not so sure about his identity. It could be who I want it to be or someone utterly different. However, when he draws his hood down, I know exactly who it is. "Lord Chaos." I kneel.  
The man comes up to me. "Do not kneel to me, child. I have seen you somewhere lower than this. Far lower, we both know that. I think you know I am much like you with the formality situation." Chaos speaks kindly, yet that mystical and magical air is all around his voice.  
I rise uncertainly and look at him, practically glaring. "You came to me, why?" Chaos smiles a little, somewhat sheepishly. "Corruption was right about one thing," Chaos says and Percy growls at him. "I did mark you as a newborn. But you already know the reason, he told you."  
"What is the mark for?" Percy snaps.  
"To show the nature of your soul. You are Corruption's bane, child." Chaos says.  
"I am not a child." Percy tells him coldly. "I long ago gave up my innocence to that place beneath our feet. Do not think just because you are older, that gives you a right to refer to me as such."  
Chaos holds up a placating hand. "Very well, I understand." He studies Percy closely. "I never expected so much...good in one person. Even with all the darkness you crawled out of."  
Percy watches him as he speaks. "Yeah, sorry to disappoint the Creator of the Universe. I didn't know he was stalking me up until a few months ago. Forgive my rudeness of not following destiny." Chaos's eyes widen. "Resentment, I am sorry." He sighs. "I am not goods with words. I normally do not speak or interact with an individual so closely."  
"Whatever. What do you want?" Percy replies bitterly. Chaos motions for Percy to walk with him and as they go along, Percy sighs and runs a hand over his face. "Sorry, I am not used to dealing with emotions. Forgive me. I am acting like a child for goodness sake."  
Chaos chuckles. "I completely understand. You have nothing to apologize for."  
"Thank you." Percy says and walks silently next to the Creator.  
"You asked what I wanted..." Chaos starts, then stops and sighs. Percy looks at him out of the corners of his eyes. "I want you to make my brother fade."  
"I planned on it." Percy nods. "Artemis flipped out on me when I told her. She thinks I will fade if I do that for him, Tartarus, and Gaea. I assured her I was capable and all the gods know I won't be doing anything other than priming and guiding the spell on its way. Half their power will be drained, even if I did participate, only a partial amount of mine would be, but I need even that for the battle. The demigods, most are too young to be in a war. I want all of them to survive, but no war is without itscasualties. So I'll make the other side take all of them. They think I plan on dying, but I don't plan to. However, if it is inevitable, I will gladly forfeit my life to save theirs. They would never understand."  
Chaos smiles kindly. "Yes, there are some things that need to be done."  
"Surely you did not come all the way out here to tell me you want your brother to be erased from existence." Percy turns to look at him as they walk.  
"No, you are right. But, I see I don't have to talk to you about much else. Perseus, you have given so much, endured so much, there is nothing more I could ever ask of you, but I must ask one thing." Chaos stops, making Percy stop as well, and looks at him.  
"Name it." Percy shrugs. "What is one more thing?" He smiles weakly.  
Chaos laughs. "My brother and kids, if you can, just save them from themselves, They didn't always used to be this way. Annabeth...she deserves whatever the Fates have planned for her, but, I just want to see my family happy once more. I have lived so long, too long, and for a long while now, all I have seen is death and carnage, kids murdered for petty grudges. I wantit all to come to an end. I want peace for this world."  
Percy nods slowly. "You want me to do for them what I did for Hyperion and the others. Do you know what could happen if I tried that with Corruption in whatever state I may be in?"  
"I know. It is a selfish man's request. But it is also an old one's plea. I want my brother back. I miss him so much. It has been so long since I have been able to come near him and truly love him as a brother." Chaos says sadly.  
Percy puts a hand on Chaos's shoulder. "I will try, but I will not guarantee you anything. It is a lot to ask of me, but I am willing to give it a shot."  
Chaos brightens. "Thank you, hero." Then he smiles hugely, vanishing into thin air. Percy's hand drops and he smiles wistfully. "If I ever grow to be that old, I hope I don't have to deal with this crap anymore." He shakes his head and flashes back to camp, thinking and strategizing on how to save those three fools that started this dam war.  
Chapter Forty Eight: Nervousness or Anxiety?!  
Point of View: Third Person "You want to what?!" Percy exclaims and his kids flinch, as well as Artemis as she holds him around the waist from behind. He is steaming and in a rage beyond belief.  
"We want to help with the spell." Luke says timidly, afraid of Percy's wrath.  
Percy screams incoherently and storms off further into his home. "Just come back to life, especially as my children, and they want to do something dangerous." Percy punches the wall in aggravation as Artemis follows after him. "Great. They're just like me." He slams the bedroom door shut after Artemis gets in quickly.  
"Perseus, my Guardian, they only want to help. They have your fatal flaw and at least they know how to control their powers. They would help greatly. They do not have to fight." Artemis tries.  
"Aren't you worried?" Percy asks.  
Artemis sits down on the bed and shakes her head. "Mm. Mm. I know you'll be there if they do try to help on the battlefront." She pats the bed and he sits down sighing.  
"Alright. They can help, but they will not join in the battle. They died in the last war, I won't let them do it again." Percy grumbles.  
Artemis giggles. "Good. Now go tell them."  
"I don't think that's necessary. They are behind the door." Percy mutters. "You heard it now give us some privacy you little sneaks."The giggles and laughing in the hallway fade away with their presences as they go around the house, enjoying being alive.  
"Are you alright?" Artemis asks as Percy just drops back on the bed completely.  
"Is it possible to have a heart attack from your kids?" Percy asks as he stares at the ceiling.  
Artemis laughs and climbs on top of him, laying on him and relaxing. "Yes, but not for you."  
"I can definitely get gray hairs though. I'm due for those." Percy groans and rolls over onto his side, holding Artemis tightly as she giggles in the sudden shift.  
"What's this?" Artemis asks as she tries not to laugh, but fails totally.  
Percy holds her closer and curls together with her as he turns off the lights. "I'm going to bed." He mumbles.  
"Oh, dragging me with you?" She grins.  
"Yup." He breathes.  
She touches his face lightly. "You look extremely tired."  
"Mhmm." He hums in response.  
She laughs and snuggles into him. "Goodnight, Perseus." But he's already asleep.  
Chapter Forty Nine: The War To End All Wars Point of View: Third Person They chose the outside of Camp Half-Blood for the battlefield. The spell has been primed by Percy and he has directed it down to Thanatos in the Pit. The gods are on Olympus performing the spell as the others wait at the set battlefield.  
The some 4,000 monsters are spread out and have portals to the battlefield, one way, to surround the enemy. Made by Percy, who stands in the second line with all the Guardians, Titans, Giants, and Companions. Even though Arthur and Asale are small, they can still cause way more damage than any demigod and slip through the forces easily to wreak destruction. Nico and Percy have set up a shield for the Hunters and Apollo campers, as well as for the other long range demigods for powers and weapons. All stand behind the lines of the monsters and Guardians. All kinds of groups litter the demigods and stand at the ready. Endless traps all over the battlefield meant to only work on those without Percy's protection. If you don't hit one, you'll surely hit another.  
The demigods all speak nervously amongst themselves, the Hunters scan the tree lines, and the ones down in the lines just wait, watching for the enemy to show or for the gods to flash in.  
After waiting for about half an hour, only adding to the angst, Artemis flashes in next to her Hunters. Signalling Percy that it is about to begin. The other gods, minor and Olympian, flash in behind their children. "It is done." Nemesis says.  
Percy nods. "Then all we have to do is wait." The winds blows through their lines and around their barriers.  
Then a black mass like flash materializes the enemy. Nico raises his hand to the sky and a black light flares up from his hand and disperses after popping like a firework. The monsters who were waiting on the signal head through the portals and once they are all through, they close. The enemy is surrounded and they know it too as monsters are spread out around them. Porphyrion, Alcyoneus, and Annabeth wear armor for their fitting and stand in the perfect spots for only having three leaders for such a huge army. Tartarus and Gaea stand in the middle, protected. Meanwhile, Corruption stands in his shadowy form, flickering dangerously.  
Percy holds his hand up and all chattering ceases to exist. His voice is loud and booming instead of the nice octave it is normally at. "Archers!" Anybody with a boy loads it and aims just right.  
"Wait!" Annabeth calls. "Percy, Seaweed Brain, this is all wrong. I still love you."  
Percy's eyes narrow and he knows that's his signal. "Fire!" His hand comes down and Artemis takes over the archers. They fire about five times before Percy yells, "Charge! For Olympus!"  
The purified monsters and the second line converges on the nervous enemy and the minor gods are doing all that they said they'd do. Arrows take down enemies when they have a shot, each and every time. Percy heads straight for Alcyoneus and parries him before purifying him and defending him until he can start fighting. Then he works on Porphyrion, a better fighter than his egomaniac brother. By pure instinct, Porphyrion manages to fight off Percy's relentless assault from all sides. After a little bit, Percy manages to turn the Bane of Zeus on their side and the destruction of enemy forces becomes more and more. The Guardians and Companions fight side by side with one another while the Titans and Giants do the same. The demigods with long range powers do their best to strike the enemy, but once they are drained, they stop and wait, watching what happens next. Magic flying everywhere and killing monsters, plants coming to life and slowing an enemy or strangling them, traps going off left and right, enemies falling asleep or screaming from nightmares, lucky blows being struck, assuring victory against a large group when one faces them alone, and it is pure death out there. The gods watch in awe and some participate with their powers, but the second line is carving their own path into the army before them, no matter how badly they get outnumbered. Expert weapon handling, mastery over magic, and experience crushing their foes.  
Nico leads several of the Guardians and their Companions into the throng of the most dangerous monsters. They fight like a team, even after all this time and hardly knowing each other. Nico switches with Percy between shield duty and goes around healing those who need it every once in a while so they can keep fighting, monsters included.  
Jason, Reyna, and Raphael tag team the battalion of drakons along with their Companions on one side of them while Kronos, Hyperion, and Krios bring up the other side. Piper, Hazel, and Frank go after the five battalions of empousa and dracanae withtheir Companions, and become deadly forces as they all wreak absolute havoc on them. The Giants charge through and clash against any and every enemy in their way and that they can find. The other Titans fight side by side with each other and tear their own path through the core of the army, drifting fro battalion to battalion as they obliterate the enemy.  
Percy doesn't expect Tartarus to come after him while he fights off many monsters on his own, severely focused on keeping the shields up with Nico as Corruption tries to tear them down. Tartarus plows into Percy and sends him flying. Percy hits with a crash into the border, causing it to flash gold from all the spells on it. He drops to the ground and rolls halfway down the hill before getting up and growling, his eyes flashing white. He wades right back in and starts to destroy the monsters with a renewed effort. After about two hours, the monsters on Corruption's side begin to tire, even with Gaea healing them to keep their forces alive while the other monsters on Percy's side just keep fighting. Regardless of injury unless it is too much for them. They just enjoy the battle and ripping others apart. When Annabeth comes after Percy, Artemis snarls and lunges at her, grappling for the upper hand. Artemis struggles and barely manages to overpower Annabeth in her weakened state. Tartarus grins and sees his chance. As Artemis kills Annabeth, Tartarus comes at her with his spear.  
Sensing Artemis in danger, Percy turns and his eyes widen. He flashes away from the group of monsters he fights and is in front of Artemis in the next instant. But Tartarus was so close, Percy didn't have enough time to block and the spear pierces him in the right side of his body. Blood pours out of his mouth and Artemis turns and screams at what's before her eyes.  
"Nico." Percy coughs and blood splatters onto the spear and the ground, adding to the pool of blood at his feet.  
Nico is at Artemis's side immediately and flashes her behind the shield again before continuing in bringing down the enemy. Tartarus grins and shoves the spear in a little farther before twisting, causing more blood to fountain out. "You know what this is made of, right? Pit metal. Oh the pain you must be experiencing."  
Percy starts to feel it and closes his eyes as he concentrates on keeping the shield up. Then he looks up at the sky. "Ezekeiel." He says. "Lend me your strength." He whispers and Tartarus can't hear him. Percy's eyes and Guardian Brand start to glow and he holds up his hand. A shaft of moonlight flickers to life and his hand tightens around it. He looks at Tartarus murderously. "Stay away from the Moon, Tartarus!" Percy growls and runs Tartarus through with the moonlight, purifying the Primordial of the Pit. He rips out the spear and heals the offending wound and its affects.  
He is gone in one second and on top of Gaea in the next as he whirls on her, wielding starlight in one hand and his sword in the other. "Percy!" Artemis yells and Corruption grins widely.  
As Percy purifies Gaea after a while, the Guardians kill off the last of the evil monsters. Nico takes over the shielding and gets everyone but himself behind the shields. He rushes over to Percy and blocks Corruption as he tries to get to Percy while he's vulnerable. Corruption makes his hand into a fist and Nico drops to his knees, but keeps the shields up no matter what, trying not to reveal how painful that just was for him. All his organs were crushed completely, except for his heart.  
Percy pulls away from Gaea and turns, only to get a hand around his throat. His brand starts to flicker and he knows Ezekeiel is having a hard time staying connected with him. Percy's soul is being attacked and he struggles with it as he tries to come back from purifying Gaea, who is moved behind the shields next to Tartarus. "Well, I am the last one. But you have no chance at purifying me. My nephew, or my brother since...well...I won't go into details right now. But I know what he asked you. You are unable to do it now that some things are presenting themselves. The one thing you didn't predict, was that Artemis was going to jump your Wise Girl." Corruption chuckles darkly.  
Slowly, a smile spreads across Percy's face. "You're wrong." Percy tells him and his hands grip Corruption's arms. "Artemis is just too active to stay out of any fight and I knew she would eventually come out of the safety of the shields. I was banking on that, not as bait, but as something that was inevitable in the first place. She's just too stubborn." Corruption growls. "I knew she would go after Annabeth and I knew Annabeth would look for anything I dropped. So I left my back unguarded and took on a number of monsters. I'm not stupid, I made myself the bait. I knew that would happen, and I figured either you, Gaea, or Tartarus would attempt to kill Artemis. My next move depended on who killed who."  
Corruption's grasp becomes vise like and it turns Percy's throat purple. "If I cannot win this war, I will take you down with me."  
"Not likely." Percy smirks.  
Corruption ignores the expression. "Why is that?"  
The Brand on Percy's forehead becomes blindingly bright and one of his hands slams into Corruption's brow. Percy's voice is combined with his own and Ezekeiel's. "We are going to purify you, together." His hands burst with white light and it takes an agonizingly long time before Corruption is purified. An hour to be exact. And when the white light dissipates, Percy is lying next to Corruption. No one but Corruption and Percy know who took over who. But the white light and the two bodies instead of onegives them hope. Artemis is the first to rush out and settles down next to Percy.  
"Perseus, mt Guardian, wake up." Artemis says and lays his head in her lap. Corruption sits up first and takes a look around. Then he sees Percy and smiles warmly. "So I see he succeeded. Interesting."  
"He's breathing. Is he going to die?" Artemis looks at Corruption.  
Corruption shakes his head. "He took my evil into himself to purify it better. He was weaker than he led you all to believe. I haven't felt so free in ages. He will wake soon enough. Patience, child." He pats her head.  
Chaos flashes in and grins. He runs to Corruption, who stands up, and hugs the Elder Primordial. "I am so glad the boy saved you." Chaos says and then moves away from Corruption to crouch down next to Percy. He studies Percy and then places a hand on Percy's head. Percy's eyes flutter open and take a minute to focus in.  
"Chaos?" Percy asks.  
"Hello, Perseus." Chaos smiles warmly. "Thank you for saving Corruption from his own evil."  
Percy nods. "You're welcome." He looks up and sees Artemis. He doesn't care and just brings her lips down to his. She blushes when he lets her go. "I feel awful." Percy admits, chuckling.  
Corruption looks sheepish. "Sorry about that. That would be my fault. That has been churning for years."  
Percy nods. "It's okay. I'll live." Percy looks up at the sky. "Thank you, Ezekeiel." 


	41. Epilogue

50 - Chapter Fifty-Epilogue Chapter Fifty: The Aftermath, One Meeting to Another Point of View: Third Person As time goes on, Olympus begins to prosper and the citizens become lively once again. Percy is invited to a council of Primordials to meet them all and he doesn't know why until he stands in the middle of all of them. They all stare at him and wait for something to come out of his mouth. Chaos is just smiling along with Corruption. "I guess I want what all of you want." Percy says finally, feeling unsure about this, how he hates being a mess. "A better world, a peaceful one. Humans can learn as time goes on. Eventually, we will make the world that was supposed to be."  
"If you release those you took over, they won't ever be corrupted again." Nyx is the first to speak up.  
"I have already released them, the council is waiting on me to help them with the final decisions for where they will all go." Percy replies. "No more wars between our...rather large family." Hydros says in a deep voice.  
Chronos nods and clears his throat to get everyone's attention. "It will take some time, but with the right push, humans will stop warring and causing damage to nature. The mission of the satyrs will be an easier task to fulfill."  
"I agree." Erebus says. "But I suppose we should make it official so the Fates will leave matters lie."  
"Who all is in favor of universal peace?" Chaos asks and all hands go nods and the place they are in rattles like an earthquake off the scale. "So, this is the purest soul to ever exist." Hemera comes up to Percy as all the others part ways.  
"Um, sure?" Percy ripostes.  
Hemera giggles. "Nice to meet you. See you around. The Primordials will come back now that we may help maintain the balance a little better." She pops out as she blows a kiss to him.  
Percy shakes his head and flashes into his throne. "How did it go?" Zeus is the first to ask.  
"Quickly." Percy answers and rubs his forehead. "But they bickered for about ten minutes before that. They're worse than you guys."  
Zeus turns red but lets it slide. "And now?"  
"We work on making the world a better place. No more wars. Restore the world to its natural beauty and keep humans from destroying it." Percy explains.  
"Where do we put the Titans and Giants?" Athena asks curiously. "That's easy." Percy grins and they all look at him suspiciously. "Let them live in their domains. Settle them in and have them help you along. They are older and remember what ancient times were like, not to mention have years of wisdom on all of us. It isn't their fault they got corrupted. I say let them be free."  
And so, after about four hundred years, the Earth has been turned into a natural place once again, all buildings are naturallypowered and efficient. No more pollution, no more littering, no more killing. Universal peace truly has come to pass and everybody knows it.  
Families are happy, loving, caring, loyal, and accepting. Friends last forever and love is found everywhere. Annabeth Chase was brought back and ordered by the Fates to serve under Percy, which he doesn't like, and her mind is almost totally blank. She's clean after Percy purified her for the Fates and Artemis doesn't trust her, But Annabeth isn't mistreated.  
Everywhere becomes a better place, everyone becomes a better person, and time doesn't matter to even mortals as they live carefree and splendid lives. All thanks to one. Special. Person.  
Perseus Jackson _i will make a sequal to this story ok so there will be book 2 but now im going to post my other book 


	42. Author Note

Ok this is not a chapter

i'm setting up event for the 2nd book who ever makes a good chapter will be the first chapter of the book Ok

and will help me with the rest of the boo i'm only chosing 3 people ok!


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